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First Trust Bank Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Looking for information about your firm's panel status?

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How can my firm apply to be on the First Trust Bank Conveyancing Panel?
Check your firm’s panel Status
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How can my firm be reinstated onto the First Trust Bank Conveyancing Panel?
Check your firm’s panel Status

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. It is supported by PI insurers such as AmTrust. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system optimises the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on First Trust Bank’s changes. While utilising the tool is not a condition for acceptance on the First Trust Bank panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with First Trust Bank’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your firm’s panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. It is also simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by First Trust Bank

Lenders frequently vary their requirements. The BSA instructions from First Trust Bank 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 2010, First Trust Bank has made 124 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the BSA Requirements.
That equates to a section change every 22.0 days. In total, 0% of the sections of the BSA Requirements for First Trust Bank have been changed since 26/1/2010.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,
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First Trust Bank Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public

I am getting a mortgage with First Trust Bank. I intend to retain the legal services of a Licensed Conveyancer. Does the First Trust Bank Conveyancing panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC
First Trust Bank’s approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders associated to the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.
I do hope you can help me. My conveyancer is advising me that he has to conduct a Local Authority search stemming from the fact that the firm are on the First Trust Bank approved lawyer panel. The searches cost a lot of money. Can this be avoided?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are taking a mortgage with First Trust Bank 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 First Trust Bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated First Trust Bank. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
What tools are available to search for a local solicitor on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 25 kilometers to meet the lawyer.
You can use the find a conveyancing panel tool on this page. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the First Trust Bank solicitor panel.
My grandmother passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £5k. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to First Trust Bank , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this allowed?
If you intend to re-mortgage then First Trust Bank will insist on your using a conveyancer on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your First Trust Bank conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the First Trust Bank mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Why might a lender such as First Trust Bank withdraw a mortgage offer?
Banks and Building Societies such as First Trust Bank can withdraw their mortgage offer although this is unusual. In the unlikely event that First Trust Bank withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are various possible reasons but here are a number of examples:
  • First Trust Bank may amend or withdraw an offer if the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel solicitor is unable to confirm compliance with any of the conditions of the mortgage offer or if any of the terms of the mortgage offer cannot be satisfied
  • If the borrower informs First Trust Bank of a change in security address
  • Situations where information provided by the borrower that enabled the lender to make a lending decision is fraudulent, incorrect or misleading.
  • Where the lender has to take account a recent change in taxation
  • If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
I have agreed a price on a flat I spoke to a conveyancer previously used by my brother and he suggested instructing a property lawyers approved by First Trust Bank. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked First Trust Bank if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. First Trust Bank pointed out that either practice can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of First Trust Bank 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Enquire of First Trust Bank for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Lenders have them all over the country. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto First Trust Bank conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet First Trust Bank’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
It is not clear whether my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called into my local branch First Trust Bank on numerous occasions and told it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the First Trust Bank 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?
Your lawyer has to follow the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for First Trust Bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that First Trust Bank 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 First Trust Bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.

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