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approved by RBS - Direct Line

RBS - Direct Line’s conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders represented by the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

One of the many conditions to being on the RBS - Direct Line approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 obligations (last updated for this lender on RBS - Direct Line)which states that a local authority search be not more than 6 months old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to RBS - Direct Line.

You can use the find a conveyancing panel search on this page. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the RBS - Direct Line solicitor panel.

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to assist

Lenders such as RBS - Direct Line can withdraw their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. If RBS - Direct Line withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to their reasoning. There are various possible reasons but here are a few examples:

• If the financial circumstances of the borrower have changed to the detriment and the RBS - Direct Line has been notified

• If the borrower informs RBS - Direct Line of a change in the loan amount agreed

• Where to proceed with the Mortgage offer would be unlawful

• Where the Lender’s right to possession is fettered in some way

• If the lender reasonably believe that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is insolvent or is about to become insolvent or has or will have a petition presented or if any one or all enter into any arrangement with their creditors generally or if any one or all should suffer a material change in their financial circumstances

If you have finished paying off your RBS - Direct Line mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the RBS - Direct Line mortgage from the register. RBS - Direct Line,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage: but are not moving to another property where the RBS - Direct Line has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and the RBS - Direct Line has instructed the Land Registry to do so The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your RBS - Direct Line mortgage has been paid off.

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