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First Direct 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 Direct Conveyancing Panel?
Check your firm’s panel Status
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How can my firm be reinstated onto the First Direct Conveyancing Panel?
Check your firm’s panel Status

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. It is supported by PI insurers. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This software optimises the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with automatic updates on First Direct’s changes. Notwithstanding that using the software is not a condition for acceptance on the First Direct panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with First Direct’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your panel standing.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by First Direct

Lenders often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from First Direct 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, First Direct has made 250 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the UK Finance Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 10.9 days. In total, 13% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for First Direct have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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

Is the fact that my conveyancer is not identified on the First Direct Conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for First Direct.
I am due to complete my purchase next Tuesday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as as he informs me that he is duty bound to validate that it is in order for First Direct. What does the insurance need to cover?
Any lawyer on the First Direct conveyancing panel would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in First Direct’s Part 2 requirements of the CML Handbook (last updated on First Direct). Being on the First Direct conveyancing panel your lawyer is expect to follow these requirements.
Do I need to attend the offices of the First Direct conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will appoint a lawyer who conducts conveyancing in Manchester so that I can pop in to their offices if required.
Whereas this was necessary twenty years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Manchester .
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the First Direct conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the First Direct conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. it might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently at the moment.
Hi, thinking about buying a house off my mate. Assuming we can agree a figure, what’s the best way to move forward? I plan to obtain a mortgage with First Direct. Is there anyway to cut out the solicitors to save on the costs? My father said that years ago it was possible to take the documents into the local Land Registry office and they did the rest
If you are getting a mortgage with First Direct involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the First Direct conveyancing panel. We would not encourage you to both use the same solicitors' firm. There are clear conflict of interest issues and it's not going to make a huge difference to the speed of the overall process. So as not to hold things us you should pass on your solicitors details to First Direct. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the First Direct conveyancing panel.
Planning on purchasing a house with a mortgage with First Direct. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the First Direct conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the First Direct conveyancing panel
We are are taking a long lease of a house in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon will soon beappointed. My brother-in-lawsuggested that we make sure that the conveyancing practitioner in Hendon is on the First Direct panel. Aren't all lawyers on the First Direct panel?
It is not that case that all Hendon conveyancing firms are on the First Direct conveyancing panel. 8 people a month use our search tool to locate a Hendon conveyancing lawyer on the on the First Direct approved list of lawyers.

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