Transfer of Equity Conveyancing - Mortgage Agency Services Panel Requirements
This page was created to help E&W property lawyers carrying out Transfer of Equity conveyancing who are on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel. It is not intended as an alternative to checking the UK Finance handbook requirements for Mortgage Agency Services
As a conveyancer you must approve the transfer (which should be in the Land Registry's standard form) and, if Mortgage Agency Services require, the deed of covenant on their behalf. See below to see if Mortgage Agency Services have standard forms of transfer and deed of covenant
Does Mortgage Agency Services have a standard form of transfer of equity /deed of covenant?
When drafting or approving a transfer of equity, you should bear in mind that:
- although the transfer should state that it is subject to the mortgage (identified by date and parties), it need give no details of the terms of the mortgage;
- the transfer need not state the amount of the mortgage debt. If it does, the figure should include both principal and interest at the date of completion, which you must check (see below for where to obtain this);
- there should be no statement that all interest has been paid to date.
If different from 1.11 of Mortgage Agency Services UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Part 2, contact point for finding out the debt amount:
Mortgage Agency Services PO Box 138 Plymouth Devon PL1 1XY
As a conveyancer on the Mortgage Agency Services panel you must ensure that every person who will be a borrower after the transfer covenants with Mortgage Agency Services to pay the money secured by the mortgage, except in the case of:
- an original party to the mortgage (unless the mortgage conditions are being varied); or
- a person who has previously covenanted to that effect.
Any such covenant will either be in the transfer or in a separate deed of covenant. In a transfer, the wording of the covenant should be as follows, or as close as circumstances permit: "The new borrower agrees to pay the lender all the money due under the mortgage and will keep to all the terms of the mortgage." If it is in the transfer, you must place a certified copy of the transfer with the deeds (unless Mortgage Agency Services tell you not to in their UK Finance part 2 requirements, please see below).
Does Mortgage Agency Services need to be sent the transfer of equity?
Only if Lender needs to execute it
If Mortgage Agency Services have agreed to release a borrower or a guarantor and their standard transfer form (if any) includes no appropriate clause, you must add a simple form of release. The release clause should be as follows, or as close as circumstances permit: "The lender releases ... from his/her/their obligations under the mortgage." You should check whether a guarantor who is to be released was a party to the mortgage or to a separate guarantee.
You must obtain the consent of every guarantor of whom you are aware to the release of a borrower or, as the case may be, any other guarantor.
You must only submit the transfer to Mortgage Agency Services for execution if it releases a party. All other parties must execute the transfer before it is sent to Mortgage Agency Services . See Mortgage Agency Services part 2 requirements for where the transfer should be sent for sealing. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Part 2 also gives Mortgage Agency Services approved form of attestation clause - see below:
If different from 1.11, Mortgage Agency Services contact point for obtaining execution of transfer equity:
Mortgage Agency Services PO Box 138 Plymouth Devon PL1 1XY
What form of attestation clause does Mortgage Agency Services use?
Signed as a deed by authorised signatory of Mortgage Agency Services Number (insert the relevant company number) Limited pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of MAS (insert the number of the company) in the presence of
Find out how to order your redemption statement request from Mortgage Agency Services