Accord Mortgages Conveyancing Panel - Five requirements for Sole Practitioners to be aware of

Whist Sole Practitioners are currently welcome apply to be on the Accord Mortgages conveyancing panel there are a number of conditions (as of today’s date) that you should be specifically aware of as a sole practitioner:

• All solicitor applicants located in England and Wales - regardless of whether they are sole practitioners-  who apply to join the Accord Conveyancing panel will require Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation.
• If on a sale or remortgage you require title deeds or other documents from Accord in connection with a personal mortgage you can not request the deeds. Rather you must nominate a different firm on the Accord panel to request the deeds or documents and to handle the conveyancing.
• Your office(s) will be open during normal office hours in your locality. Accord Mortgages must be able to contact you between the hours of 9am to 5pm through Monday to Friday, 
• You must arrange for appropriate cover where necessary. Your locum must be a member of the Accord Conveyancing Panel (local arrangements are asked for on the application form)
• To notify Accord promptly in writing of any changes to the structure of your practice, including but not limited to a change from a sole practitioner to a partnership or, in any case, a change to a limited liability partnership, legal disciplinary partnership incorporated practice or alternative business structure.