Common questions asked concerning the RBS - Virgin One Conveyancing Panel
from members of the public
I am getting a mortgage with RBS - Virgin One. my intention is to enlist the help of a Licensed Conveyancer. Does the RBS - Virgin One Conveyancing panel allow for Licensed Conveyancers
RBS - Virgin One’s conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders represented by the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.
Much to my surprise my lawyer has requested from me ID documents saying that this is part of his obligations as a solicitor on the RBS - Virgin One Conveyancing panel. This is news to me - can I refuse?
Due to Money Laundering Regulations your conveyancing lawyer is duty bound to confirm positively your identification when entering into a business relationship with you. It is a criminal offense if your lawyer not do this. If you do not provide ID early in the transaction the solicitor must refuse to act for you. It’s unlikely a lawyer will turn you away if you come to the first meeting without relevant ID but you will have to produce it at some point so you might as well bring it with you to the initial meeting so the lawyer can tick the ID verification box and start sorting out the conveyancing straight away. If you are getting a mortgage with RBS - Virgin One your lawyer also has to check ID documents to satisfy RBS - Virgin One
I see that you have a search directory listing law firms on the RBS - Virgin One conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I appoint them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the RBS - Virgin One conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I am trying to get my former partner taken off the mortgage deeds. Can RBS - Virgin One really tell me which solicitor I can or can not use?
You can use any solicitor you like but RBS - Virgin One then has the right to appoint a different solicitor to act for them at your expense. It might be more cost effective and quicker to instruct a lawyer who is on the RBS - Virgin One solicitors panel
The mortgage over my property is with RBS - Virgin One. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform RBS - Virgin One?
You must advise RBS - Virgin One in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of RBS - Virgin One’s mortgage conditions. It may be that RBS - Virgin One will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact RBS - Virgin One directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a RBS - Virgin One conveyancing panel solicitor.
Can I register a complaint to RBS - Virgin One about the lawyers being on the RBS - Virgin One conveyancing panel?
Complaining to RBS - Virgin One about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.
The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.
If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their lawyers I paid an upfront payment of 175. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the RBS - Virgin One conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the RBS - Virgin One panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.