Solicitor due diligence checklist for property lenders

Why solicitor checks matter

A common conveyancing fraud is a fake or cloned law firm. A few register checks before funds are released can stop money being sent to the wrong place.

Find the right regulator

• Law firms in England and Wales are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
• Licensed conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), not the SRA. If a firm isn't on the SRA register, check the CLC register before treating it as unregulated.
• Firms in Scotland or Northern Ireland are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland or the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

The checklist

• Confirm the firm is authorised on its regulator's register and note its SRA or CLC number.
• Check the named solicitor on the SRA's register of solicitors and confirm they work at that firm.
• Check the office address, phone number and email domain match the register, not just the firm's letterhead.
• Search SRA scam alerts for the firm name.
• Check Law Society accreditations, such as the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), where your policy requires them.
• If the firm is a limited company or LLP, check its Companies House record.

When to escalate

Escalate if the name only partly matches an authorised firm, if more than one firm shares the name, or if the firm has been closed or intervened in by the SRA. These cases need a manual decision, never an automatic all-clear.

Example

A firm's letterhead shows a real SRA number, but the office address is a branch that isn't listed on the register. Contacting the firm through the head office details on the register is the safe next step.