Scottish Widows Conveyancing Panel Information

The information on this page is designed to keep solicitors and licensed conveyancers abreast of latest requirements changes by Scottish Widows and to assist in remaining on the Scottish Widows Conveyancing Panel.

Looking for information about your firm's panel status?

How does my firm apply to be on the Scottish Widows Conveyancing Panel?

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How can my firm be reinstated onto the Scottish Widows Conveyancing Panel?

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Scottish Widows Solicitor Panel: Recently Asked Questions

Is it possible that Scottish Widows will instruct another lawyer on the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel for a further advance during the lifetime of a mortgage?

Section 16.2.1 of Part 1 of the Handbook applicable to a solicitor on the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel reads ‘Our mortgage secures further advances. Consequently, when a further advance is required for alterations or improvements to the property we will not normally instruct a member of our conveyancing panel but if you are instructed the appropriate provisions of this Handbook will apply’.

Can you recommend what we should do if we wish to challenge being removed from the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel?

If you are removed from the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel and you are unaware of or disagree with the reasons for your removal you should: (a) Contact Scottish Widows directly. (b) If there is an appeals process detailed on your letter you should follow the process.

In appealing a decision by Scottish Widows, it may be useful to provide the following information:

Full disclosure of your firm’s transaction history
Your COMPLETIONmonitor reports, assuming you use the Lexsure software
Your recent claims history
Full details of all employees in your practice 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 PII schedule and your accountant's certificate, calculating the percentage of the firm's gross fee income is resulting from residential conveyancing

It is encouraging that some conveyancing 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. The 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 well risk-managed.

Can you give me an example of some of the reports available via COMPLETIONmonitor to support my appeal to be reinstated on the Scottish Widows solicitor panel?

There are many reports available, five of which are as follows:

The percentage of the firm’s business which is conveyancing (broken down into sale/purchase and remortgage)
Average time frame to send deeds to the lender (calculated from completion date or title registration)
Average time frame to register charges at the Land Registry
Evidence of undertaking logs
Analysis as to the nature of clients (e.g.existing/new/seen in person)

My firm is on the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel. I am dealing with Scottish Widows mortgage on a purchase. My borrower client is asking not to disclose an issue to Scottish Widows. What do I do in this conflict situation?

When a solicitor is acting for both Scottish Widows 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 Scottish Widows and it may well be prudent you to cease to act for the purchaser as well. You can not tell the Scottish Widows 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 Scottish Widows conveyancing panel status.

Are figures published revealing the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel size and the number of conveyancing firms removed from their panel each year?

With lenders and conveyancers working so closely with one another it is surprising that there has not been greater demand for the introduction of a bit of transparency regarding not just the figures for the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel but for all lender panels

My firm has just been advised that it’s Scottish Widows panel membership revoked but we have not yet been given an explanation yet. I am completing a CQS renewal form what information should I disclose?

In the circumstances please clarify on the application what action you have taken to discover the reasons behind cancellation of your Scottish Widows 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 putting you on notice?

My firm is listed on the Scottish Widows conveyancing panel and due to complete a remortgage within the next week. I dont have a Legal Charge for the client to sign. Who do I contact at Scottish Widows to obtain duplicate documents?

You would be advised to get in touch with Scottish Widows to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook has an explicit inquiry for lenders to enumerate who to contact to obtain standard documents. Scottish Widows in their Part 2’s state:

Always remember to quote the firm’s Scottish Widows solicitors panel number.

Find a Lawyer on the Scottish Widows Conveyancing Panel

Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of Scottish Widows

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

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