Property and Real Estate Law

Bank panel lawyer for property loan financing in Malaysia

A bank panel lawyer is a law firm the bank has approved to prepare its loan and security documents for a financed property purchase. Tam Yuen Hung & Co. holds full panel status with CIMB. For Public Bank, Hong Leong Bank, RHB Bank, Bank Simpanan Nasional and UOB, we act on an ad hoc basis, which means the bank approves our firm for one named transaction rather than as a standing panel appointment.

Ad hoc approval is given at the bank's discretion for that transaction. Panel arrangements are set by each bank and can change, so confirm the current position with your loan officer before solicitors are appointed.

How to get us appointed on your purchase

1. Tell your loan officer you want Tam Yuen Hung & Co. to act. With CIMB we are already on the panel, so we can be instructed directly. With the other banks listed, ask the officer to submit our firm for ad hoc approval on your transaction.
2. Send us your letter of offer and the property details. We confirm whether we can act on the financing side and quote for the purchase either way.
3. We take your instructions and start. Where we act on both, one team runs the purchase and the financing together, so the loan release and completion stay in step.

Raise the request while your loan is still being processed. Once the bank has already issued instructions to one of its own firms, it has little reason to reconsider.

What to send us to get a quotation

• The letter of offer from your bank, or the loan amount if it has not been issued yet
• The booking form, or the sale and purchase agreement if it is already signed
• The property address and, if you have it, a copy of the title or the developer's documents
• Identity card or passport details for every buyer
• Your loan officer's name and contact number
• For a subsale, the seller's solicitor details if they have been appointed

Full panel and ad hoc approval are not the same thing

Full panel means the bank has already placed the firm on its standing list of solicitors. No separate application is needed, so instructions can be issued as soon as your loan is approved.

Ad hoc approval means the bank considers the firm for one transaction only. Your loan officer submits our details and the bank decides. If approval is not given, the bank instructs one of its own panel firms on the loan documents and we still act for you on the purchase.

The bank chooses the loan solicitor. You still choose your own

Two sets of documents run side by side in a financed purchase. The sale and purchase agreement is between you and the seller, and you appoint the solicitor for it without restriction. The loan and security documents are between you and the bank, and the bank appoints a firm from its own panel to prepare them, because that firm acts for the lender.

So the answer is not either or. Even where the bank keeps the loan documents with its own firm, you should still have a solicitor of your own on the purchase, reading the agreement and protecting your position on completion.

Questions buyers ask before appointing us

What is a bank panel lawyer in Malaysia?

A bank panel lawyer is a law firm approved by a bank to prepare, stamp and perfect the loan and security documents for a financed property purchase. The firm acts for the bank and reports to the bank on the validity of the security it obtains.

Can I choose my own lawyer for the loan documentation?

Usually not. The bank appoints a firm from its own panel to prepare its security documents. Where the firm you want is already on that panel, you can ask the bank to instruct it, which is why panel status is worth checking before solicitors are appointed.

Can one firm handle both the purchase and the loan documents?

Yes, where the bank approves that firm on the financing side. Running both together usually means one point of contact, fewer handovers and less risk of the loan release and the completion date falling out of step.

Is it too late to appoint you if I have already signed the letter of offer?

Not necessarily. Send us the letter of offer and tell us whether the bank has issued instructions to a solicitor yet. If it has, we can still act for you on the purchase, which is the side where your own interests need protecting.

What if my bank is not listed above?

Send us the name of your bank. We can ask for ad hoc consideration in many cases, and where the bank prefers its own panel firm we still act for you on the purchase itself.

Related pages

• Loan agreement and property financing documents
• Sale and purchase agreement
• Memorandum of transfer
• Discharge of charge and redemption
• Land search before you buy
• Request a property transaction quote

This section is general information about property financing practice in Peninsular Malaysia and is not legal advice for any particular situation. Sabah and Sarawak have their own separate land legislation. Speak to a lawyer about your own circumstances.