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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 web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. It is supported by PI insurers such as AmTrust. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This software facilitates the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with automatic updates on First Trust Bank’s changes. While using the tool is not a prerequisite for First Trust Bank , demonstrating you can remain up to date with First Trust Bank’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. It is also simply to use, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by First Trust Bank

Banks and building societies 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.

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Frequently asked questions relating to the First Trust Bank Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

My financial adviser has has requested my solicitor’s panel member for the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I obtain this. I have tried my local First Trust Bank branch but they have not responded to me.
You are best placed to get this information from your conveyancing lawyer. They should have a central record lender panel numbers including the First Trust Bank panel reference.
Can you clarify something for me?. My lawyer is not to blame but, the conveyancing for my house purchase has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from First Trust Bank was date stamped random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on Tues etc. My solicitor says that as she is on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel she needs to redo the searches as they are no longer valid.
One of the many conditions to being on the First Trust Bank approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on First Trust Bank)which states that a local authority search be not more than half a year old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to First Trust Bank.
Do all the licensed conveyancers and solicitor practices listed on your search have online case tracking as I was under the impression that this was a precondition of being on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders or BSA do not require online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £8000. 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.
My wife and I have arranged a further advance on our mortgage from First Trust Bank as we wish to carry out alterations or improvements our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
First Trust Bank would not normally appoint firms on their conveyancing panel 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 First Trust Bank panel
Completion of my purchase has taken place with a loan from First Trust Bank. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about First Trust Bank. How do I make a complaint?
Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the First Trust Bank branches or the Customer Services Department at First Trust Bank head office. We understand that complaints to First Trust Bank are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is resolved you can write to the Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.
I have instructed a lawyer having checked that they are on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or Having digested plenty of house buying,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the First Trust Bank conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
First Trust Bank will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually First Trust Bank will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with First Trust Bank you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.

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