Virgin Conveyancing Panel Information

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

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

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How can my firm be reinstated onto the Virgin Conveyancing Panel?

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Virgin Solicitor Panel: Recently Asked Questions

Is it probable that Virgin will instruct a different firm on the Virgin conveyancing panel for a further advance during the lifetime of a mortgage?

Paragraph 16.2.1 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook relevant to a solicitor on the Virgin 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’.

What can you suggest we do if we wish to appeal being removed from the Virgin conveyancing panel?

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

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

Comprehensive disclosure of your transaction history
A copy of your COMPLETIONmonitor reports if you use that service
Your recent claims history
comprehensive 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 professional indemnity policy and the firm’s accountant's certificate, summarising the percentage of the firm's gross fee income is generated 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. 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 a ‘low risk’.

Is it true that the Law Society has advised that firms check their status on the Virgin conveyancing panel?

The Scottish Law Society has suggested that solicitors should check their lender panel status before accepting client instructions to act. The advice is lender-agnostic as it does not relate specifically to solicitors on the Virgin conveyancing panel. The recommendation 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 moneysavingexpert.com

Can you give me an example of some of the reports available via COMPLETIONmonitor to support my appeal to be reinstated on the Virgin 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 register charges at the Land Registry
Average mortgage advance
Average time frame to send deeds to the lender (calculated from completion date or title registration)
Number of conveyancing cases by lender

I have read a number of legal articles recently about firms being sued for non-compliance with CML PII obligations . I am on the Virgin conveyancing panel can you tell me how Part 2 changes took place by Virgin during 2013?

During 2013, 195 sections of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook P2 were changed by Virgin. Some changes are more important than others but as a firm on the Virgin conveyancing panel you are of course obliged to comply with individual lender requirements, as set out in Part II of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. Locktons have recently pointed out in an article that non-compliance with Part 2 requirements account for a number of high value claims, and it is therefore important to be aware of any particularly onerous terms that an individual lender may impose.

Remember: CML requirements are not guidelines; they are the lender client’s instructions.

We had our Virgin panel membership terminated but we have not yet been given an explanation yet. I am completing a CQS application questionnaire what details should I put forward?

In this situation please clarify on the form what steps you have taken to find out the reasons behind cancellation of your Virgin 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 advising you as to their reasons?

I am on the Virgin conveyancing panel and due to complete a remortgage shortly. My file does not contain a Mortgage Deed for the client to sign. Who do I contact at Virgin to obtain duplicate documents?

You need to contact Virgin to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook contains a specific section for banks to cite who to contact to obtain standard documents. Virgin in their Part 2’s state:

Always remember to quote your Virgin conveyancing panel number.

Find a Lawyer on the Virgin Conveyancing Panel

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

This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.

Year	Days*
2025	24.2
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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Please note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors