Q and A’s regarding the RBS - Direct Line Conveyancing Panel from members of the public
I appointed a firm of solicitors to work on my remortgage 4 weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with RBS - Direct Line. The law firm reassured me that they are on RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel and gave me their panel number. RBS - Direct Line then told me that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What do I do from here? Do I instruct a different law firm listed on the approved panel for RBS - Direct Line?
You may be very frustrated with the lawyer but if it only go take a few more days they it may be worth waiting as, depending on how far progressed you are you may end up delaying the transaction by a number of weeks if you need to replace your solicitor You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the RBS - Direct Line as to the time frame to get your lawyer reinstated on the panel once again.
Much to my surprise my conveyancing solicitor is asking me for identification documents saying that this is part of his legal duty as a solicitor on the RBS - Direct Line Conveyancing panel. Can you confirm whether this is the case?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that RBS - Direct Line also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with RBS - Direct Line CML Handbook requirements last updated on RBS - Direct Line
I have been looking for competitive conveyancing fees. Can I be assured that all the practices that are identified on your site are on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel?
The law firms on our directory have assured us via an online form that they are on the RBS - Direct Line panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the RBS - Direct Line panel. To date we have not been informed by either a bank or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel is incorrect.
We're in Birmingham, First timers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is RBS - Direct Line , but our solicitor is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
Is the case that all CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel?
A selection of lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of firms.
Are all solicitor firms on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
Intending to buy a flat with a mortgage with RBS - Direct Line. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel