Bank of Scotland Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and professional indemnity insures. It is a unique risk management tool.

This software is the only way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on Bank of Scotland’s changes. While utilising the software is not a condition for acceptance on the Bank of Scotland panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Bank of Scotland’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces COLP and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Bank of Scotland

Banks and building societies often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Bank of Scotland are not guidelines, they are instructions from a client. As with many clients, instructions can change - and they do change, frequently:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Bank of Scotland has made 353 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 7.7 days. In total, 48% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Bank of Scotland have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
6.7.1 21/06/2019 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Bank of Scotland approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
6.4.4 31/08/2018 CML
Disclosing Incentives
Bank of Scotland approved lawyers additional requirements concerning reporting incentives
17.1.1 29/08/2018 CML
Redemption Statements
Contact details at Bank of Scotland for conveyancing panel lawyers to request redemption statements .
6.7.1 13/08/2018 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Bank of Scotland panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
16.5.3a 16/01/2018 CML
Deed of Variation
Bank of Scotland requirements for conveyancing panel lawyers as to whether Bank of Scotland need to be sent a Deed of Variation
16.5.3d 16/01/2018 CML
Option Agreements
Contact details at Bank of Scotland for approved lawyers to send option agreements .
10.2b 23/05/2016 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
What is the minimum number of days notice Bank of Scotland require ahead of sending the mortgage advance?
10.7 23/05/2016 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
In the event of a delayed completion, when and how is advance to be returned to Bank of Scotland by the conveyancing panel?
7.4 23/05/2016 CML
Occupiers at the Property
Contact details at Bank of Scotland for approved conveyancers if doubts about accuracy of information concerning occupation of the property
10.3 09/05/2016 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
What are the standard deductions made by Bank of Scotland from the mortgage advance?

Last update 10/07/2019

Bank of Scotland Solicitor Panel Sample Enquires to our Call Center from members of the public

The lawyer I wanted to use for conveyancing on a purchase said she would charge more if my mortgage is with Bank of Scotland because of their unusual legal requirements. Will I regret using Bank of Scotland? Is Bank of Scotland conveyancing so much more difficult?
Bank of Scotland conveyancing requirements for their panel are no better or no more complicated than most lenders. It is the case now the CML Handbook, the "bible" used by solicitors to establish lender requirements, is different for each lender. It is not clear if your lawyer is on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. If they are not, this does add further risk of delay as Bank of Scotland will appoint their own solicitors to look after their interest.
My conveyancer has uncovered an inconsistency between the surveyor’s assumptions in Bank of Scotland’s valuation report and what is revealed within the conveyancing documents. My solicitor informs me that as he is on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel he must ensure that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s approach right?
A precondition to being on the Bank of Scotland approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Bank of Scotland) which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
I note that you have a search directory identifying firms on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I was expecting to complete on my first house two days ago. My lawyer’s firm is on the Bank of Scotland solicitors panel but has moved offices 8 weeks ago and had not informed Bank of Scotland of their new address. Bank of Scotland has locked down the release of mortgage funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is as unusual as it is unlucky. The majority of lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local Bank of Scotland branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can assist.
We expect to receive a DIP from Bank of Scotland this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Bank of Scotland recommend a solicitor on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Bank of Scotland through the process.
I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their lawyers I paid an upfront payment of 175. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Bank of Scotland panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in month 2010 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Bank of Scotland are being pedantic. The solicitor who is on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Bank of Scotland are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Bank of Scotland have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Bank of Scotland have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Bank of Scotland may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.