Royal Bank of Scotland Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and professional indemnity insures. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This system facilitates the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Royal Bank of Scotland’s changes. While utilising COMPLETIONmonitor is not a prerequisite for Royal Bank of Scotland , demonstrating you can remain up to date with Royal Bank of Scotland’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Royal Bank of Scotland

Banks and building societies frequently vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Royal Bank of Scotland 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, Royal Bank of Scotland has made 560 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 4.9 days. In total, 66% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Royal Bank of Scotland have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

Book a Personalised Demo

Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
16.1.1 15/11/2018 CML
Title Documents
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc details for requesting Title Documentation
16.3.2 15/11/2018 CML
Transfer of Equity
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc details for requesting debt amount
17.2.1a 15/11/2018 CML
Redemption Payments
Where do solicitors and conveyancers send the discharge and repayment remittance in relation to The Royal Bank of Scotland plc mortgages ?
4.5a 15/11/2018 CML
Mortagge valuation - Reinspections
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for approved lawyers where re-inspection required
6.4.4 05/09/2018 CML
Disclosing Incentives
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc approved lawyers additional requirements concerning reporting incentives
14.2.2 28/03/2018 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Which documents should approved lawyersfor The Royal Bank of Scotland plc send the title deeds and documents following completion?
10.7 28/12/2017 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
In the event of a delayed completion, when and how is advance to be returned to The Royal Bank of Scotland plc by the approved lawyer?
1.11a 28/12/2017 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for approved lawyers to obtain mortgage documentation
16.4.1 28/12/2017 CML
Consent to Let
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for consent to let.
16.5.3d 28/12/2017 CML
Option Agreements
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for conveyancing panel lawyers to send option agreements .

Last update 26/05/2019

Frequently asked questions relating to the Royal Bank of Scotland Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

Is the fact that my solicitor is not on the Royal Bank of Scotland Solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of his 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 Royal Bank of Scotland.
My lawyer has spotted a discrepancy between the surveyor’s assumptions in Royal Bank of Scotland’s home valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor informs me that as he is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel he must check that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my solicitor’s course or action right?
A precondition to being on the Royal Bank of Scotland approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Royal Bank of Scotland) which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
I have been searching for conveyancing quotes online. Can I be assured that all the practices that are listed on your site are on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel?
The law firms listed on our site have advised us that they are on the Royal Bank of Scotland panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the Royal Bank of Scotland 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 Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel is not accurate.
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Royal Bank of Scotland 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.
Is it common for Royal Bank of Scotland to withdraw a mortgage offer and what would be the reasoning?
Lenders such as Royal Bank of Scotland can withdraw their mortgage offer although this is unusual. If Royal Bank of Scotland withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are many potential reasons but here are a few examples:
  • If the financial circumstances of the borrower have changed to the detriment and the Royal Bank of Scotland has been notified
  • If the borrower informs Royal Bank of Scotland 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’s right to possession is fettered in some way
  • 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 recommended by my mum and he recommended retaining a property lawyers approved by Royal Bank of Scotland. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Royal Bank of Scotland if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Royal Bank of Scotland suggested that either practice can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Royal Bank of Scotland 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask Royal Bank of Scotland 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 Royal Bank of Scotland 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 Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Royal Bank of Scotland’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.
I'm in the process of viewing apartments and now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a conveyancer appointed at this stage? I will be getting a home loan with Royal Bank of Scotland
It would be sensible to have your start your search soon rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the EA. As you are getting a mortgage with Royal Bank of Scotland , ask your prospective lawyers check they are on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.