RBS- First Active Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system assists the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on RBS- First Active’s changes. While utilising the tool is not a condition for acceptance on the RBS- First Active panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with RBS- First Active’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 simply to use, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

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Banks and building societies frequently vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from RBS- First Active 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, RBS- First Active has made 175 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 15.6 days. In total, 49% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for RBS- First Active 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 12/02/2016 CML
New Build Conveyancing
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
6.14.1 04/12/2014 CML
Building Insurance
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active panel lawyers additional requirements concerning building insurance
3.1.6 01/12/2014 CML
verification of identity
5.5.1b 01/12/2014 CML
conveyancing requirements in terms of time for building regulation consents
6.14.1a 01/12/2014 CML
contact point if property is not insured in accordance with lender requirement
6.14.1d 01/12/2014 CML
maximum excess re building insurance
6.14.2 01/12/2014 CML
requirement that all insurance risks are included
6.14.1 01/12/2014 CML
Building Insurance
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active approved lawyers additional requirements concerning building insurance
6.7.1 16/09/2014 CML
New Build Conveyancing
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
14.1.5 16/06/2014 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Does the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active need to be sent the original mortgage deed and/or any other original title documents by their conveyancing panel ?

Last update 10/11/2018

FAQs : The RBS- First Active Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

My financial adviser has informed me that I have to pay RBS- First Active fees should I instruct my family lawyer. How efficient are the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel solicitors? I dont care which law firm I use as long as they're good and reasonably priced. Would you recommend a specific law firm on the RBS- First Active panel?
RBS- First Active’s conveyancing panel is pretty large so your best bet is just to check with the firms you are getting quotes from whether they are on it. You can search by postcode on the search tool on this site to find solicitors that RBS- First Active will allow to act for them.
Our conveyancer has discovered a legal deficiency with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer says that as he is on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or RBS- First Active?
Just because you have a mortgage offer from RBS- First Active does not mean to say that the property will be meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the CML Handbook Requirements. You and RBS- First Active are the client. The appropriate lender requirements must be adhered to by the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel who has to balance acting for you and RBS- First Active
I need to find a RBS- First Active panel solicitor in Inverness. Can you assist?
Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a RBS- First Active panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to RBS- First Active to find out which solicitors in RBS- First Active are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. At a fee of one pound per month it is not expensive to register on the site
I was scheduled to move into my flat two days ago. My solicitor is on the RBS- First Active solicitors panel but has moved offices in the past couple of months and had not informed RBS- First Active of their new address. RBS- First Active has locked down the release of mortgage funds until such time as their systems are up to date with the correct details.
This is a rare situation indeed. 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 RBS- First Active branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can help.
Are all solicitor firms on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As solicitors, in order to be on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
I can not work out if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date . I have telephoned RBS- First Active on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told not they would not lend in accordance with their CML Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?
As long as the conveyancer is on the RBS- First Active panel she or he must comply with the CML Handbook requirements for RBS- First Active. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that RBS- First Active will go ahead your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask RBS- First Active to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.
I recently had an offer accepted on a house. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their lawyers I paid an upfront payment of 225. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the RBS- First Active 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 RBS- First Active 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.