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approved by Virgin
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the Virgin 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 Virgin Money plc Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the Virgin Money plc Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the Virgin Money plc Conveyancing Panel
Frequently asked questions relating to the Virgin Solicitor Panel
I need to swap lawyers as my lawyer is not on the Virgin panel of conveyancing solicitors. Is it advisable to appoint a new law firm?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
We are nearing an exchange and my parents having transferred the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to make a notification to my lender Virgin. I am advised that, being on the Virgin conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Virgin if the balance of the mortgage advance is not just from me. I disclosed to the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the home loan so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Virgin to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to Virgin if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Virgin conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Virgin approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Virgin conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Virgin solicitor panel.
I am in the process of remortgaging my house does my lawyer have to be on the Virgin Solicitor panel?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Virgin will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
Are all Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Virgin conveyancing panel?
A selection of banks and building societies now use CQS as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their panels.
Is it common for Virgin to withdraw a mortgage offer and what would be the reasoning?
Lenders such as Virgin can revoke their mortgage offer although this is unusual. In the unlikely event that Virgin 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 5 examples:
- Where information comes to Virgin ‘s attention regarding the customers or the security that they were not aware of prior to offer that affects their original decision to lend
- If the borrower informs Virgin of a change in security address
- If the borrower informs Virgin of a change in the loan amount agreed
- Where to proceed with the Mortgage offer would be unlawful
- If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
I recently had an offer accepted on a house. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers I paid an upfront payment of 150. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Virgin 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 Virgin 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.
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Transfer of Equity for VirginPlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors