Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
Coutts & Co Conveyancing Panel: Recently Asked Questions
Are the CML planning on creating a online directory search tool with a view
to to identify practices on the
Coutts & Co conveyancing panel?
We are not aware of any intention on the part of the CML to develop such a register.
Can you recommend what we should do if we wish to challenge being removed from the
Coutts & Co approved solicitor list?
Should you firm be removed from the
Coutts & Co conveyancing panel and you are unaware of or disagree with the reasons for your removal you should: (a) Contact
Coutts & Co directly. (b) If there is an appeals process detailed on your letter you should follow the process.
In appealing a decision by Coutts & Co, it may be useful to provide the following information:
- Comprehensive account of your firm’s transaction history
- A copy of your COMPLETIONmonitor reports if you use that service
- Your recent claims history
- Full details of all employees 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.
- Provide duplicate practising certificates, the firm's current professional indemnity policy and your accountant's certificate, calculating the % of the firm's gross fee income is generated from residential conveyancing transactions
On appeal some firms 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. Such an achievement 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 has a healthy attitude towards risk mitigation.
Is it true that the Law Society has advised that firms check their status on the
Coutts & Co conveyancing panel?
The Law Society of Scotland has advised that solicitors should check their lender panel status prior to accepting client instructions to act. The advice is lender-agnostic as it does not relate specifically to solicitors on the
Coutts & Co conveyancing panel. The suggestion arises from the practice of a number of mortgage lenders who remove solicitors from their panels without prior notice as part of their panel management system, which can lead to some solicitors discovering this only once instructed. This is sensible advice as a client finding out midway through a transaction that their lawyer is not on the approved lender panel is very frustrating and can lead to complaints. Many online consumer forums contain posts where someone is complaining about finding that their lawyer is not on a lender conveyancing panel. Such forums include mumsnet.com
Being on the Coutts & Co conveyancing panel how long am I expected to keep hold of the complete conveyancing file?
The CML Part II requirements of
Coutts & Co are silent on this. Most lenders 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 Coutts & Co’s interest. To be
absolutely sure of Coutts & Co requirements in this regard
please check the Terms and Conditions of Coutts & Co’s
conveyancing panel appointment.
What is the CLC doing to protect licensed conveyancers from being removed from lender panels?
The CLC has entered dialogue with banks and their representative bodies to see whether and how the risks that lenders wish to mitigate could be addressed through the regulatory framework rather than via ad hoc arrangements that can differ from lender to lender. It is likely that that the CLC have been in touch with lenders such as
Coutts & Co in recent years.
My firm has just been advised that it’s Coutts & Co panel membership suspended but we have not yet been given a reason as to why.
I am completing a CQS application questionnaire what details should I put forward?
In the circumstances please clarify on the application what steps you have taken to discover the reasons behind cancellation of your
Coutts & Co panel membership.
In particular please provide details if you have received communications from the lender. E.G. before cessation of your panel membership did you receive any letters or calls from the lender putting you on notice?
My firm is listed on the
Coutts & Co
conveyancing panel and due 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 Coutts & Co to request substitute deeds?
You need to contact Coutts & Co
to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook includes a specific section for banks to set out who to contact to obtain standard documents.
Coutts & Co in their Part 2’s state:
Please remember to quote the firm’s Coutts & Co solicitors panel number.
Find a Lawyer on the Coutts & Co Conveyancing Panel
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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Coutts & Co
This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.
| Year | Days* |
|---|---|
| 2026 | [no data] |
| 2025 | [no data] |
| 2024 | [no data] |
| 2023 | [no data] |
| 2022 | [no data] |
| 2021 | [no data] |
* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor
Other related topics:
- CQS policy templates and procedures for accredited Coutts & Co Firms
- Draft Report on Title precedent for Coutts & Co borrowers
- Draft Anti Money Laundering PolicyTemplate for Coutts & Co panel firms to consider
- Dealing with Lender Policy Template panel for CQS accredited firms on the Coutts & Co lender panel
- Buy-to-Let help for Coutts & Co
- Consent-to-Let help for Coutts & Co
- Contractor Mortgages with Coutts & Co
