Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
RBS - Direct Line Conveyancing Panel: Recently Asked Questions
What can you suggest we do if we wish to challenge being removed from the
RBS - Direct Line approved solicitor list?
Should you firm be removed from the
RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel and you are unaware of or disagree with the reasons for your removal you should: (a) Contact
RBS - Direct Line directly. (b) If there is an appeals process detailed on your letter you should follow the process.
In appealing a decision by RBS - Direct Line, it may be useful to provide the following information:
- Full disclosure of your firm’s transaction history
- A copy of your COMPLETIONmonitor reports if you use that service
- Your recent claims history
- comprehensive details of all staff in your firm and their position.
- Note down if a solicitor has been admitted to the role on completion of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
- Supply duplicate practising certificates, the firm's current professional indemnity policy and the firm’s accountant's certificate, setting out the percentage of the firm's gross fee income is resulting from residential conveyancing transactions
It is encouraging that some solicitors have been able to regain membership to panels notwithstanding the policy by the respective lenders to refuse panel membership to firms with certain profiles or characteristics. Success is primarily due to the firms’ ability to persuade the lender to make an exception if there is sufficient evidence to reassure them that the firm is a ‘low risk’.
I am hearing that agents are using online checkers to see if a firm is on a lender panel. Why?
Many estate agents are feeling the pain if their clients start out on the buying process having appointed a solicitor who is not on the panel with the purchaser’s chosen lender. Many
conveyancing firms are only discovering when they begin working on a
case that they are no longer able to work with that lender. Given
the inevitable resultant delays in the transaction the chances of an
abortive deal increases dramatically. in the circumstances there is
understandable anguish on the part of the estate agent as a result of
the lost time should the client have to change lawyers.
Being on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel how long am I expected to keep hold of the complete conveyancing file?
The Council of Mortgage Lender requirements of
RBS - Direct Line are silent on this. Most mortgage companies address the question of file retention via their Terms and Conditions where they generally provide that for evidential purposes, the firm must keep the file for a minimum six years from the date of the mortgage. Data imagining is normally
suitable compliance with this requirement. Many lenders point out in
that it is the practice of some fraudsters to demand the conveyancing
file on completion in order to destroy evidence that may later be
used against them. It is therefore important to retain these
documents to protect RBS - Direct Line’s interest. To be
absolutely sure of RBS - Direct Line requirements in this regard
please check the Terms and Conditions of RBS - Direct Line’s
conveyancing panel appointment.
The firm that I work for is on the
RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel. I am dealing with
RBS - Direct Line mortgage on a purchase. My borrower client is asking not to disclose an issue to
RBS - Direct Line. What do I do in this conflict situation?
When a solicitor is acting for both
RBS - Direct Line and borrower there is potential for conflicts
to arise. You owe duties to both clients. All information received by
you from your client is confidential and cannot be disclosed without
the client’s consent. In the situation you find yourself in if the
purchaser will not consent to the information being passed on to the
lender the solicitor must cease to act for the RBS - Direct Line
and it may well be prudent you to cease to act for the purchaser as
well. You can not tell the RBS - Direct Line the reason for
termination of the retainer over and above the fact that a conflict
has arisen. The fact that you can no longer act should alert even the
most somnambulistic of lenders that something is wrong with the
borrower and/or purchase. The fact that you have disinstructed
yourself should not affect your RBS - Direct Line conveyancing
panel status.
My firm has just been advised that it’s RBS - Direct Line panel membership suspended but we have not yet been given an explanation yet.
I am completing a CQS application questionnaire what information must I put forward?
In the circumstances please clarify on the application what action you have taken to find out the reasons behind cancellation of your
RBS - Direct Line panel membership.
In particular please provide details if you have received communications from the lender. E.G. before termination of your panel membership did you receive any letters or calls from the lender informing you as to why they reached this decision?
Our practice is on the
RBS - Direct Line
conveyancing panel and scheduled to complete a remortgage within the next few weeks. I can not locate a Legal Charge for the client to sign.
Who do I contact at RBS - Direct Line to obtain duplicate documents?
You should communicate with RBS - Direct Line
to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook incorporates a specific inquiry for lenders to cite who to contact to obtain standard documents.
RBS - Direct Line in their Part 2’s state:
Always remember to quote the firm’s RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel reference.
Find a Lawyer on the RBS - Direct Line Conveyancing Panel
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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of RBS - Direct Line
This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.
| Year | Days* |
|---|---|
| 2025 | [no data] |
| 2024 | [no data] |
| 2023 | [no data] |
| 2022 | [no data] |
| 2021 | [no data] |
| 2020 | [no data] |
* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor
Other related topics:
- CQS policy templates and procedures for accredited RBS - Direct Line Firms
- Draft Report on Title precedent for RBS - Direct Line borrowers
- Draft Anti Money Laundering PolicyTemplate for RBS - Direct Line panel firms to consider
- Dealing with Lender Policy Template panel for CQS accredited firms on the RBS - Direct Line lender panel
- Buy-to-Let help for RBS - Direct Line
- Consent-to-Let help for RBS - Direct Line
- Contractor Mortgages with RBS - Direct Line
