Halifax Solicitors Panel - Requirements for e-Document Registration

Solicitors on the Halifax Solicitors Panel should take note of an important change concerning sending the lender the original mortgage deed post completion of registration of their charge. Ordinarily Halifax's Part 2 retirements dictate that the Land Registry should retain the original deeds. As of today I have been notified via LENDERmonitor of the following Halifax addition : 'where you make your application for registration through the e-Document Registration Service, HMLR will not accept any original deeds; accordingly, you should forward the original signed mortgage deed to us together with the title deeds in any such cases, clearly indicating that you have done so on the Deeds Schedule'.

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FCA AML Audit: Financial Regulator Takes Over Legal Oversight!

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If you’re a partner or a compliance officer at a law firm, I want you to take a quick second and think about your last AML review. Was it a check the box exercise to keep the SRA happy? If the answer is yes, we need to have a serious chat. The regulatory landscape for solicitors is shifting fast . The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is stepping onto the field with a much more active role, and they play a much tougher game than we've seen in the past. Today, we’re breaking down why the FCA AML Audit is the new essential safeguard—and why "good enough" policies just won't cut it anymore. Why the "Old Way" of AML is Riskier Than Ever Historically, many of us approached AML compliance through a traditional SRA lens. But let’s be real: that approach is becoming a major liability. The FCA’s style is risk-based, evidence-focused, and—most importantly outcome-driven. They don’t just want to see your manual; they want to see your proof. ...

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