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approved by Scottish BS
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Scottish BS list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
How does my firm apply to be on the Scottish Building Society Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Scottish Building Society Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Scottish Building Society Conveyancing Panel
FAQs : The Scottish Building Society Solicitor Panel
Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer is not isted on the Scottish Building Society Solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her work?
That would more than likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for Scottish Building Society.
My lawyer has requested from me ID documents saying that this forms part of his requirements as a solicitor on the Scottish Building Society 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 Scottish Building Society 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 Scottish Building Society CML Handbook requirements last updated on Scottish Building Society
Do all the firms listed on your search have online case tracking as I was under the impression that this was a precondition of being on the Scottish Building Society solicitor panel?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders or BSA do not require online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
My solicitors in Newcastle have advised me that they can not locate my conveyancing file. At the time of my purchase I took out a mortgage with Scottish Building Society. Is it case that being on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a prescribed period?
It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the Scottish Building Society Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting Scottish Building Society directly.
I am buying a property where the roof has a solar panel. Scottish Building Society have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Scottish Building Society your lawyer must to check the Scottish Building Society conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Scottish Building Society . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Scottish Building Society where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. The CML are developing guidance for Northern Ireland and Scotland.
I recently had an offer accepted on a house. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers I paid an upfront payment of 175. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the Scottish Building Society 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 Scottish Building Society 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.
I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed
to by Scottish Building Society. Is it usual for Scottish Building Society to only issue the offer once my
solicitor is approved on their conveyancing panel?
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Scottish Building Society to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.