RBS - Direct Line Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and 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 notifications given on RBS - Direct Line’s changes. Even though using COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for being on the RBS - Direct Line panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with RBS - Direct Line’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by RBS - Direct Line

Lenders often vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from RBS - Direct Line 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 - Direct Line has made 186 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 14.7 days. In total, 45% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for RBS - Direct Line 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
5.7.1a 02/12/2016 CML
Flying Freeholds
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages approved lawyers clarification as to whether they lend on flying freeholds
Flying Freehold Indemnity Insurance
5.7.1b 02/12/2016 CML
Freehold Flats
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages approved lawyers clarification as to whether they lend on freehold flats
Flying Freehold Indemnity Insurance
6.7.1 23/08/2016 CML
New Build Conveyancing
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
5.19.1 19/07/2016 CML
Shared Ownership and Shared Equity
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages for approved lawyers for lending on affordable housing, shared equity and shared ownership and where relevant The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages requirements.
6.7.1 12/02/2016 CML
New Build Conveyancing
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
6.14.1 04/12/2014 CML
Building Insurance
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages approved 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
6.14.4 01/12/2014 CML
sending a copy of the buildings insurance policy and last premium
3.1.5 01/12/2014 CML
ID Documentation
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc Direct Line Mortgages approved lawyers requirements re ID Documentation: Further acceptable documents (if any)

Last update 20/01/2019

RBS - Direct Line Solicitor Panel Example Support Desk Enquires from members of the public

It has come to my attention via my IFA that my solicitor is not on the RBS - Direct Line Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure that this is correct?
The first thing you need to do is to contact your conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a firm that is on the conveyancing panel for RBS - Direct Line.
Please assist. My lawyer is not to blame but, my purchase conveyancing has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from RBS - Direct Line was date stamped random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on Tues etc. My solicitor informs me that as she is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel she needs to redo the searches as they are no longer acceptable to the lender.
One of the many conditions to being on the RBS - Direct Line approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on RBS - Direct Line)which specifies 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 RBS - Direct Line.
I have been searching for online conveyancing estimates. Can I be assured that all the firms that are listed on your website are on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel?
The law firms listed on our site have advised us that they are on the RBS - Direct Line panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the RBS - Direct Line panel. To date we have not been informed by either a mortgage company or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel is not accurate.
We're in Liverpool, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is RBS - Direct Line , but our solicitor is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
I have today made my last payment due on mortgage with RBS - Direct Line. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the RBS - Direct Line panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your RBS - Direct Line mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the RBS - Direct Line mortgage from the register. RBS - Direct Line,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage: but are not moving to another property where the RBS - Direct Line has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and the RBS - Direct Line has instructed the Land Registry to do so The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your RBS - Direct Line mortgage has been paid off.
I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in month 6 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, RBS - Direct Line are being a right pain. The solicitor who is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but RBS - Direct Line are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do RBS - Direct Line have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that RBS - Direct Line have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why RBS - Direct Line may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.
I had an offer accepted on an apartment on the 17th February 2014, valuation was booked five days after, all came back fine. Solicitor instructed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to RBS - Direct Line and chasing them on my offer I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for RBS - Direct Line to deal with your lawyers application to be on the RBS - Direct Line conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.