Training
If your practice is accredited under CQS, you must complete mandatory training if you’re:
- the senior responsible officer (SRO)
- a conveyancer (regardless of status or qualification)
The SRO should decide whether key support staff need to complete the training. This will depend on their involvement in the conveyancing process.
Providers
There are three authorised CQS training providers:
You can choose any of the authorised providers to complete your mandatory training. You do not need to complete all your training with the same provider.
Training providers may offer some or all of the training courses. Check with your chosen provider whether they offer the courses you need and how much they cost.
Courses
From 21 February 2023, the CQS core training module: the role of the senior responsible officer (SRO) has been replaced by the SRO certification exam.
All SROs (new and existing) are required to undertake the certification exam before submitting their application for accreditation or reaccreditation.
The test questions within the exam are designed to evaluate and ensure the SRO’s competency in understanding, and ability to demonstrate effective knowledge of, the core CQS elements:
- CQS Scheme Rules
- CQS Client Service Charter
- Law Society Conveyancing Protocol
- CQS Core Practice Management Standards
- Onsite assessment guidance notes
For full details on the SRO certification exam, see the CQS guidance for SROs (PDF 203 KB) and the exam syllabus (PDF 222 KB).
The exam is an on-demand 90-minute multiple-choice exam, comprised of 20 multiple-choice-style questions selected randomly from a question bank.
The pass mark is 70%.
SROs will have two attempts.
This is a one-off examination and is not intended to be repeated annually. However, where the syllabus is updated, this examination will be required to be re-taken.
The exam is available to take on Law Society Learning.
All relevant members of staff must complete this mandatory training course on financial crime issues relevant to residential conveyancing and prior to submitting the application for assessment.
If you’ve completed this training at a previous organisation, you will not need to complete it again.
Please refer to the CQS scheme rules for further information (PDF 275.4 KB)
All relevant members of staff must complete this mandatory training course on protocol in practice relevant to residential conveyancing and prior to submitting the application for assessment.
If you’ve completed this training at a previous organisation, you will not need to complete it again.
Please refer to the CQS scheme rules for further information (PDF 275.4 KB)
All relevant members of staff must complete this mandatory training course annually and prior to submitting the application for assessment.
This course covers stamp duty land tax, leasehold properties, capital gains tax and guidance on raising enquiries.
All relevant members of staff must complete this mandatory training course annually and prior to submitting the application for assessment.
This course covers:
- property
- mortgage
- payment diversion fraud
- anti-money laundering
Download the risk and compliance syllabus (PDF 218 KB)
Contact us
Call: 020 7316 5550
Email: cqs@lawsociety.org.uk
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday