Looking for a solicitor on the Accord Mortgages conveyancing panel? Before instructing a firm for your purchase or remortgage, check that it can act for Accord on your particular transaction. This can help you avoid discovering a panel problem after the legal work has started.
Find an Accord Mortgages conveyancer
Enter your postcode or town to find firms listed as working with Accord Mortgages instructions in England and Wales.
Search the Accord Mortgages conveyancing panel by postcode
What is the Accord Mortgages conveyancing panel?
A lender’s conveyancing panel comprises firms accepted to carry out legal work for that lender. On a mortgage-funded purchase, the conveyancer will commonly act for both the buyer and the mortgage lender, subject to the lender’s requirements and the circumstances of the transaction.
The lender’s legal work includes investigating the title and addressing matters that could affect its mortgage security. The conveyancer must also follow the applicable lender instructions.
A firm being able to act for you does not automatically mean it can also act for Accord Mortgages. Ask the question before accepting a quotation or paying money on account.
How to find an Accord Mortgages panel solicitor
- Search by postcode. Use the Accord Mortgages panel search on LENDERmonitor to identify listed firms covering your area.
- Explain the transaction. Tell the firm whether you are buying, remortgaging or arranging another type of legal work, and whether the mortgage is residential or buy to let.
- Confirm that it can act. Ask the firm to confirm its current ability to act for Accord on that transaction, including the relevant office where appropriate.
- Request a written quotation. Check the legal fees, VAT, third-party expenses and circumstances that could result in additional charges.
- Discuss the property. Mention any known lease, title or building issue before agreeing the scope of the work.
The search uses listings from the LenderPanel directory. It is a selection of firms rather than Accord’s complete approved panel. If your preferred firm does not appear, ask the firm directly; absence from the results does not establish that it is off the panel.
Can I use my existing solicitor?
You may already have a solicitor you trust. Start by asking whether that firm can act for Accord Mortgages on your proposed purchase or remortgage.
If it cannot, ask your broker or Accord what arrangements are available before committing to legal costs. Depending on the lender’s instructions and the transaction, another firm may need to be involved or you may need to choose a different conveyancer.
Establish who would act for whom, what additional fees could arise and whether the arrangement would affect the timetable.
Does the solicitor need to be local?
A postcode search is a convenient way to identify firms near you, but location should be considered alongside communication, experience, capacity and the ability to act for the lender.
Ask how the firm will handle identification, documents and signatures, and whether office attendance will be necessary. Also establish who will deal with your matter and how you will receive progress updates.
A nearby office may be useful if you prefer face-to-face contact. Other buyers are comfortable dealing with their conveyancer remotely.
Accord buy-to-let conveyancing
If your mortgage is buy to let, say so when requesting a quotation. Ask the firm to confirm that it can handle the particular Accord buy-to-let transaction and explain any additional work relating to the tenancy or property.
Our historical article on Accord’s solicitor panel expansion for buy-to-let mortgages in 2013 provides background. It should not be used as confirmation of today’s panel eligibility or lending requirements.
Tell the conveyancer about lease and title problems early
Panel membership is one part of choosing a conveyancer. The firm also needs to understand the property and any issue that could require further investigation or a report to Accord.
For example, tell the firm if you know about a short lease, an unusual ground rent clause, missing rights of access or a proposed deed of variation.
Our article on Accord Mortgages’ defective lease requirements explains a lender-specific issue that may arise during leasehold conveyancing. The firm should check the complete instructions applicable to the live transaction.
What should I ask before instructing the firm?
- Can you act for Accord Mortgages on this particular transaction?
- Who will handle my file, and who will supervise it?
- What is included in the quotation?
- Which additional fees might apply to my property or mortgage?
- What information do you need from me before work can progress?
- How will you explain outstanding issues and update me?
- What happens to the fees and expenses if the transaction does not complete?
Comparing the scope of the service is as important as comparing the headline price. A clear quotation and realistic explanation of the process help you make an informed choice.
Panel information for sole practitioners
For professional readers, our article on five Accord panel requirements for sole practitioners in 2013 records historical conditions concerning accreditation, availability and practice arrangements.
Firms considering an application should obtain the current application requirements directly. Historical conditions are useful context, but they do not establish current eligibility.
Investigating an older Accord mortgage transaction?
If a property issue has emerged years after completion, current lender instructions may differ from those applicable when you bought or remortgaged.
The Accord Mortgages page in the Lexsure Lender Archive provides a route to checking available historical lender-specific Part 2 records. Those records should be considered alongside the relevant Part 1 provisions, mortgage offer, separate instructions and conveyancing file.
Checking historical instructions serves a different purpose from finding a conveyancer for a new transaction. It can help establish what the lender required at the relevant time.
Ready to find a conveyancer?
Search for an Accord Mortgages panel solicitor by postcode, then confirm with the firm that it can act on your particular transaction.