How to Check if Your Conveyancer Is Lender Approved

The short answer

To check whether you have an approved conveyancer on your mortgage lender’s panel, ask the firm directly and confirm it with your lender or mortgage broker before you instruct. Being regulated, or being recommended by an estate agent, does not mean a firm is on your lender’s panel.

If you are buying with a mortgage, the quickest checks are:

• Tell the conveyancer which lender you are using and ask whether it acts for that lender.
• Look at the firm’s published panel list, such as Muve’s lender panel list.
• Confirm with your lender or broker.
• Get the answer in writing.

If the firm is not on the panel, your lender may require a second firm to act for it. That can add cost and delay to your property transaction, so check before you pay for searches, not after your mortgage offer arrives.

What a lender panel is and why it matters

When you buy with a mortgage, your conveyancer usually acts for you and for your lender at the same time. The lender needs to be sure the property is good security for the loan, so it relies on your conveyancer to check the title, the searches and its mortgage conditions. Many lenders will only instruct firms on their conveyancing panel, according to UK Finance.

Four things are worth knowing about panel membership:

• Each lender sets its own panel. UK Finance does not keep a central list of panel firms, so there is no single place to check.
• Different lenders, different panels. A firm can be on one lender’s panel and not another’s, so always check against your specific lender.
• Panel status is not a quality mark. It reflects the lender’s own requirements, not necessarily how capable a firm is.
• Regulation is separate. A firm can be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and still not be on your lender’s panel. You need to check both.

How to check your conveyancer is lender approved, step by step

1. Confirm your lender. Find out the exact name of the lender behind your mortgage. If you only have a mortgage in principle through a broker, ask the broker which lender it is.
2. Check the firm is regulated. Search the SRA Solicitors Register for solicitors, or use the CLC’s Find a CLC lawyer tool for licensed conveyancers. This confirms the firm is regulated, not that it is on a panel.
3. Look for a published panel list. Some firms list the lenders they act for. Muve’s lender panel list shows lenders alphabetically. Lenders can appear under more than one name, so search under variants, such as a building society with or without “The” in its name.
4. Ask the firm directly, in writing. Email your conveyancer: “Are you on [lender name]’s conveyancing panel, and can you act for the lender on my purchase?” A written reply gives you something to refer back to.
5. Confirm with your lender or broker. Lenders set their own panels, so your lender has the final say. A broker can often confirm quickly.
6. Get it confirmed before you pay. Do this before you instruct, pay for searches or sign a client care letter, because switching later costs more time and money.
7. Check again if your lender changes. A new lender means a new panel, so repeat the check if you switch mortgage.

Questions to ask your conveyancer

Use this list when you speak to a firm. A lender panel check takes a few minutes and can save weeks.

• Are you on my lender’s conveyancing panel? (Give the exact lender name.)
• Will you act for the lender as well as for me on this purchase?
• Does my type of purchase need anything extra? Some lenders have additional requirements for leasehold, new build, shared ownership or buy to let, so mention yours.
• If you are not on the panel, what are my options, and what will each one cost?
• If a second firm is needed, who instructs it, and how much time does it usually add?
• Can you confirm all of this in writing?

A firm that is confident about its panel status will answer these directly. If the answer is vague, treat that as a warning sign and check with your lender yourself.

The risks if your conveyancer is not approved

The consequences of using a non-panel conveyancer are usually practical, not legal. Your purchase can still go ahead, but it often costs more and takes longer.

The fix is simple and cheap if you act early: check before you instruct.

What to do if your conveyancer is not on the panel

If the check shows your firm is not approved, you have three options. Which one suits you depends on how far you have got.

1. Switch to a panel firm. This is usually the cleanest answer if you have not yet paid for searches or signed anything. Choose a firm that acts for your lender, and get a free quote to compare.
2. Stay with your firm and use separate representation. Ask the firm what it will cost and how much time it adds, and get both in writing. For England and Wales, Part 3 of the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook sets out standard instructions for when a firm acts for the lender but not the borrower.
3. Speak to your lender or broker. Ask whether the lender will accept your firm in your circumstances. A broker can also tell you whether a different lender would change the position, but changing lender has its own costs and timing, so take advice first.

If you have already instructed a firm and only now find it is not on the panel, tell it straight away and ask for a written plan, including cost and timescale. Then compare that against switching, because the longer you wait, the harder switching becomes. Our guide to the stages of conveyancing shows where each step falls.

Does a panel check apply to you?

The check matters most when a lender is involved. This guide applies in England and Wales.

First-time buyers are most likely to be caught out because it is easy to assume any conveyancer can act. Our first-time buyer advice covers the rest of the process.

FAQs

Check your lender with Muve

Muve is a digital conveyancing firm regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, acting for buyers and sellers across England and Wales, and we are on the conveyancing panel for many mortgage lenders. Check our lender panel list to see if yours is included.

If your lender is not on our list, tell your Onboarder. They will check whether we can accommodate that lender and start the application process if needed. Raise it early so you know how it may affect your timeline.

Next steps:

1. Find out the exact name of your mortgage lender.
2. Check our lender panel list.
3. Get a free quote once you know your lender is covered.
4. Read our advice for buyers while you wait.

This guide is general information for England and Wales and is not legal or financial advice. Lenders set their own panels and requirements, so confirm your position with your lender and conveyancer. Information checked on 21 October 2026.

Sources

• UK Finance: Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
• UK Finance: Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook FAQ
• SRA: Solicitors Register
• Council for Licensed Conveyancers
• HomeOwners Alliance: How to choose a conveyancer or solicitor

About this article 

This guide was written by Team Muve and checked against guidance from the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and UK Finance. Muve is a conveyancing firm regulated by the CLC, acting for buyers and sellers across England and Wales, and we are on the conveyancing panel for many mortgage lenders. Information checked on 21 October 2026

While this article is reviewed periodically to reflect changes in UK conveyancing practice, it is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.