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approved by Lloyds TSB Sct

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 Lloyds TSB Scotland.

You have limited options available to you. Given that you are taking out a loan with Lloyds TSB 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 Lloyds TSB Scotland’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Lloyds TSB Scotland. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.

The law firms listed on our site have assured us via an online form that they are on the Lloyds TSB Scotland panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Lloyds TSB Scotland panel. To date we have not been informed by either a lender or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the Lloyds TSB Scotland conveyancing panel is incorrect.

This is as unusual as it is unlucky. The majority of lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local Lloyds TSB Scotland branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can help.

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Lloyds TSB Scotland conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

As your lender is Lloyds TSB Scotland your lawyer must to check the Lloyds TSB Scotland conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Lloyds TSB Scotland . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Lloyds TSB Scotland 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.

Lloyds TSB Scotland will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Lloyds TSB Scotland will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Lloyds TSB Scotland you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.