Coutts Finance Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers such as AmTrust. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This software facilitates the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with automatic updates on Coutts Finance’s changes. Notwithstanding that using COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for acceptance on the Coutts Finance panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Coutts Finance’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, protect your firm’s panel standing.

The software creates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Coutts Finance

Mortgage companies frequently change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Coutts Finance are not guidelines, they are instructions from a client. As with many clients, instructions can change - and they do change, over time:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Coutts Finance has made 94 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 29.0 days. In total, 41% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Coutts Finance have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
5.5.1a 01/12/2014 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
14.1.5 28/05/2013 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Does the Coutts need to be sent the original mortgage deed and/or any other original title documents by their conveyancing panel ?
16.5.3a 14/01/2011 CML
Deed of Variation
Coutts requirements for approved lawyers as to whether Coutts need to be sent a Deed of Variation
3.1.5 14/01/2011 CML
contact point if seller has no solicitor or licensed conveyancer
5.19.1 14/01/2011 CML
Shared Ownership and Shared Equity
Contact details at Coutts for conveyancing panel lawyers for lending on affordable housing, shared equity and shared ownership and where relevant Coutts requirements.
5.5.1a 14/01/2011 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
6.14.1a 14/01/2011 CML
contact point if property is not insured in accordance with lender requirement
3.2.3 13/01/2011 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Coutts requirements for notification of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?
4.1 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Coutts arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their approved lawyers ?
5.5.1a 01/12/2010 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents

Last update 15/05/2019

Coutts & Co Conveyancing Panel Example Support Desk Enquires from members of the public

Is there a reason why all property lawyers aren't included on the Coutts & Co Solicitor panel?
Before the recession most lenders had an appetite for risk which was higher than today. The Financial Services Authority in 2010 conducted a thematic review into mortgage fraud which concluded: know the conveyancing solicitors that you are dealing with. Consequently, lenders have regularly sought more information from law firms about their operations and the individuals who work for them and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many firms that have been excluded from lender panels have 100% healthy track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Such firms were never going to meet the criteria of volume of transactions the lenders required.
Please help. My conveyancer is advising me that he has to apply for a Local Authority search stemming from the fact that the firm are on the Coutts & Co approved lawyer panel. Is my lawyer correct?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are taking a mortgage with Coutts & Co your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of Coutts & Co’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Coutts & Co. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
I am purchasing a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Leeds who is on the Coutts & Co solicitor. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Coutts & Co . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
I am considering applying for a Coutts & Co mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) with 60% loan to value. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Coutts & Co?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Coutts & Co will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from Coutts & Co as we wish to carry out alterations or improvements our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the Coutts & Co conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Coutts & Co do not ordinarily appoint a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Coutts & Co panel
I have a mortgage with Coutts & Co. My father has just retired and wants to pay off the mortgage left on the property. After Coutts & Co is paid, I want to transfer the property to my mother's name; How long will it roughly take? Do we need two separate solicitors on the Coutts & Co conveyancing panel? I do not intend to live at the property once the Coutts & Co mortgage is discharged.
Although you do need to retain the services of a lawyer they dont need to be on the Coutts & Co panel. You will need a solicitor to draw up the transfer and to deal with the Land Registry formalities. The only thing you need to consider is that by selling at an undervalue so ask your lawyer about the implications. There could be an inheritance tax issue if you die within 7 years of this. There's no capital gains tax for you as it is your main residence.
My ex -wife’s name is on the Coutts & Co mortgage of my property but not on the land registry. The apartment was transferred to me on our divorce many years ago by way of a sealed court order. Does my ex still have a say on the sale even though the land registry showing the property in my name alone? Will I be required to take her name of the Coutts & Co mortgage in order to sell?
In terms of the Coutts & Co mortgage, it is unusual that your ex-wife’s name remains on the mortgage but not on the title. It is conceivable that this is an oversight on the part of your conveyancers to ensure that her name was removed or even an administrative error on the part of Coutts & Co in failing to update their data. In any event, it should cause difficulty providing her name no longer appears on the Land Registry title and you have a court order ordering that the property is transferred to you.