The Law Society have announced that the Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank are backing their Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) by restricting membership to its mortgage lender panels in England & Wales to firms with the CQS mark or which are already on its approved panel for undertaking business lending work.

Michael Webber, Head of Legal Services for Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks commented,

‘Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks see CQS as a positive development and is encouraging further membership of the scheme. The new arrangements for England and Wales will apply to all applications received on or after 16 April 2012. Arrangements in Scotland are unchanged.’

Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson said:

“Lenders make their own decisions about their panels, so we regard Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks’ decision to make CQS a requirement for panel membership as further demonstration that CQS is a trusted community of skilled practitioners. Not only is it an assurance of high standards in conveyancing for lenders, but by showing its commitment to CQS, they are also putting customers’ interests first by maintaining a wide panel of trusted firms.”

The Law Society has so far accredited 1300 firms in England & Wales, with a total of 2000 outlets throughout England & Wales.