Find a Law Firm
approved by RBS
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the RBS list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Find an Approved Solicitor on the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Conveyancing Panel
Royal Bank of Scotland Conveyancing Panel : Questions and Answers
The lawyer my husband and I wanted to use for conveyancing on a purchase said he would charge more if my mortgage is with Royal Bank of Scotland because of their difficult processes! Will I regret using Royal Bank of Scotland? Is Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing so much more difficult?
Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing requirements for their panel are no better or no more complicated than most lenders.
It is the case now the CML Handbook, the "bible" used by solicitors to establish lender requirements, is different for each lender.
It is not clear if your lawyer is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. If they are not, this does add further risk of delay as Royal Bank of Scotland will appoint their own solicitors to look after their interest.
I do hope you can help me. My lawyer is assuring me that he is legally obliged to order a Local Authority search because the firm are on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. The searches cost a lot of money. Can this be avoided?
You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with Royal Bank of Scotland your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of Royal Bank of Scotland’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Royal Bank of Scotland. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
Are the lawyers identified as being on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by Royal Bank of Scotland?
The law firm practices themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Royal Bank of Scotland directly.
We're in Wales, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Royal Bank of Scotland , but our lawyer is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Royal Bank of Scotland 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
My brother and I have agreed a price on a house I spoke to a conveyancer recommended by my dad and he advised retaining a solicitor approved by Royal Bank of Scotland. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Royal Bank of Scotland if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Royal Bank of Scotland pointed out that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Royal Bank of Scotland 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask Royal Bank of Scotland for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Lenders have them all over the country. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Royal Bank of Scotland’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I can not work out if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called Royal Bank of Scotland on numerous occasions and told it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told not they would not lend in accordance with their CML Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?
Your lawyer has to follow the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for Royal Bank of Scotland. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that Royal Bank of Scotland will go ahead your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask Royal Bank of Scotland to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.
My offer on house has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Royal Bank of Scotland?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Royal Bank of Scotland and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.