Using solicitors and licensed conveyancers
Information to support working with solicitors and licensed conveyancers.
Finding a solicitor for your client
The quickest way to get a mortgage offer issued is to choose a law firm on our approved panel.
- Use our Solicitor Search tool to find which firms are already on our panel.
Our panel is managed by Legal Marketing Services (LMS) Ltd.
Instructing a firm of solicitors/licensed conveyancers from our approved panel means they’ll act for both Bank of Ireland UK and your client. This will keep costs down and save time.
Adding a firm to our legal panel
Legal firms must meet certain criteria to be added to our panel:
- The firm must have at least two legal partners, and
- The firm must be registered with a UK government body such as the Law Society or Council for Licensed Conveyancers for example.
If the legal firm your client wishes to use isn't on our panel they can apply as long as they meet the criteria above. Please direct them to the LMS membership website to get started.
Further guidance
Your client can use a firm that isn’t on our panel if they wish. We’ll appoint our own firm to complete the legal work on our behalf. This is known as ‘Separate Representation’. The work required by both law firms must be submitted prior to completion taking place. This means the transaction:
- Can take longer to complete than using only one firm (from our approved panel)
- Could cost your client more as they'll have to pay two sets of legal fees.
If your client has chosen a product with 'standard legal fees paid', they'll be assigned a firm already on our panel. Your client must use the law firm which our partner firm Legal Marketing Services Ltd (LMS) assign them for a fees assisted case. If your client wishes to use their own firm, they'll need to choose a product without standard legal fees paid, making them responsible for all legal costs and disbursements incurred.
Important: Help to Buy and Shared Ownership remortgages aren't eligible for any fees assisted products. For these cases, your client won't be automatically assigned a firm. They'll need to choose a product without standard legal fees paid and also choose their own solicitor. We'd recommend chosing one already on our approved panel.
Legal fees
Some of our mortgages come with 'standard legal fees paid'. This means we'll pay the basic legal fees. We won’t pay the costs for any extra work outside of a standard mortgage transaction, for example:
- £30 (plus VAT) telegraphic transfer fee. Charged if the legal firm pays off an existing loan or sends the applicant any funds
- £5 (plus VAT) electronic ID check fee. This is charged per electronic ID check that the legal firm may carry out
- £95 (plus VAT) leasehold supplement fee. Covers a full check of the leasehold title.
Full details about all our legal fees and any additional fees that could be incurred can be found on our Fees and Charges page.
Please refer your client to our Guide to Legal Services when speaking with them about the conveyancing process.