Representation types
There are three types of representation available to your clients. Further details of each option can be found below.
- Fees assist – we’ll cover the standard costs for a remortgage, saving your client money.
- Joint representation – we use the same solicitor as your client saving time and money.
- Separate representation – your client uses a different solicitor to us and one who isn’t on the Smoove panel (formerly ULS).
Fees assist
Using our fees assist package reduces legal costs for your client as we’ll cover the fees for a standard remortgage listed below.
- Confirming the property provides good security for your customers’ new mortgage.
- Establishing who owns the property.
- Preparing the mortgage deed.
- Preparing any non-owner occupier forms.
- Applying for a redemption statement from the existing lender.
- Preparing a financial statement for completion of the new mortgage.
- Arranging repayment of the current mortgage.
- Registering the new mortgage with the land registry.
Who’s eligible?
Fees assist can be used for remortgage applications on our Holiday Let, RIO and 50+ and Resi Mortgage products.
Who are our solicitors?
We use two solicitors – O’Neill Patient for properties in England and Wales and McVey & Murricane for properties in Scotland.
To choose this option simply choose “Fees assist legal” on your application and we’ll instruct this for you.
What’s not included in your fees assisted panel?
Your client may need to pay additional charges on top of the basic service in some cases. You’ll need to check with the appointed firm to confirm this. In more complex cases, such as a divorce, your client may have already instructed their own solicitor so it may be easier for them to use this solicitor to do everything, including the remortgage. We’ll need to confirm that their solicitor is on our panel. You can do this here.
Joint Representation
We’ve partnered with Smoove to provide a large panel of solicitors for you to choose from giving your customers more choice. We’re also set up with eConveyancer so that once you’ve chosen a solicitor, you can instruct and track your cases online, in one place.
Who’s eligible?
Every case is eligible for joint representation. If a solicitor is on our Smoove panel your client can use this firm to represent them and us, reducing the costs involved. You can search our panel here.
eConveyancer
You’ll need register to use eConveyancer. If you’ve used it before with another lender, you can use the same details to log in and won’t need to re-register with us. If you haven’t used it before, you can register here.
If the solicitor has opted to use our eConveyancing site and has availability to take on new instructions you will be able to instruct the solicitors directly through eConveyancer.
You can use eConveyancer to provide a quote from the solicitor, who’ll give a good indication of pricing and stamp duty. If you instruct the solicitor through eConveyancer, you’ll get live tracking and case updates with an automatic email when each stage of the transaction proceeds.
Separate Representation
Your client might want to use a solicitor who isn’t on our panel. If they do this, please let them know that instructing an extra solicitor will mean it’ll take longer and cost your customer more. We recommend the chosen solicitor joins the Smoove panel. It’s free to join the panel and solicitors must meet the minimum requirements. You can find more information here
It’s simple to join, the solicitor will need to complete the online application form and Smoove usually add new members within 2 days.
If your customer chooses to go ahead with separate representation, they’ll be represented by their chosen law firm, and we’ll be represented by either Adkirk Law or McVey & Murricane. Your client will be responsible for paying both their own, and our, conveyancing costs.
These costs are on a sliding scale, based on property value. Prices exclude VAT:
Up to £100,000 = £300
£100,001 to £250,000 = £350
£250,001 to £500,000 = £400
£500,001 to £700,000 = £450
£700,001 to £1m = £500
Contact Us
If you’d like to talk to us about a mortgage application that has proceeded to offer, please contact us at [email protected]
If you need to contact our fees assist solicitors you can do so directly.
Fees assist solicitors:
O’Neill Patient
email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0161 6943000.
McvVey & Murricane:
https://www.mmilegal.com/
Telephone: 0141 333 9688
Complaints
If you’re unhappy with the service provided by a solicitor on our panel or fees assist you can register this directly with Smoove (formerly ULS) by emailing [email protected]
Feedback
We’re always looking for ways to improve our products and services. If you have any feedback please email [email protected]