Royal Bank of Scotland Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

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

This system facilitates the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on Royal Bank of Scotland’s changes. While utilising the tool is not a condition for being on the Royal Bank of Scotland panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Royal Bank of Scotland’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your panel standing.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Royal Bank of Scotland

Lenders frequently change 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, frequently:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Royal Bank of Scotland has made 568 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 4.8 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,

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
16.5.3a 15/11/2018 CML
Deed of Variation
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc requirements for conveyancing panel lawyers as to whether The Royal Bank of Scotland plc need to be sent a Deed of Variation
5.14.9 20/09/2018 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for approved lawyers for matters relating to the lease.
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?
14.1.5 21/03/2018 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Does the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc need to be sent the original mortgage deed and/or any other original title documents by their conveyancing panel ?
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
16.3.2 28/12/2017 CML
Transfer of Equity
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc details for requesting debt amount
16.5.2 28/12/2017 CML
Deed of Variation
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for approved lawyers for confirming proposed deed of variation or agreement will not adversely affect The Royal Bank of Scotland plc
16.5.3a 28/12/2017 CML
Deed of Variation
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc requirements for approved lawyers as to whether The Royal Bank of Scotland plc need to be sent a Deed of Variation
16.5.3b 28/12/2017 CML
Deed of Rectification
Where do solicitors and conveyancers send the deed of rectification in relation to The Royal Bank of Scotland plc mortgages ?
4.5a 28/12/2017 CML
Mortagge valuation - Reinspections
Contact details at The Royal Bank of Scotland plc for conveyancing panel lawyers where re-inspection required

Last update 07/11/2019

Examples of recent questions relating to the Royal Bank of Scotland Solicitor Panel from members of the public

For what reasons could a firm of solicitors be excluded from the Royal Bank of Scotland approved conveyancing panel?
According to a recent survey report by the solicitors regulator three quarters of solicitor practices had been excluded from a lender panel. The most common reasons in order are :
  1. Low volume 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. We are not aware of the specific or common criteria for removal by Royal Bank of Scotland
Can you help?. My lawyer is not to blame but, my purchase conveyancing has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from Royal Bank of Scotland was issued random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on 10 days inc Day of week eg. Mon. My solicitor has advised that as she is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel she needs to reorder the searches as they are now out of date.
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 states that a local authority search be not more than 6 months old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to Royal Bank of Scotland.
I note that you have a post code search directory listing law firms on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
We're in Birmingham, First timers buying with a mortgage (lender is Royal Bank of Scotland , but our lawyer is on the Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Royal Bank of Scotland 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
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the Royal Bank of Scotland panel is any good?
seeking recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the solicitor conducting your transaction
I have had an offer accepted on a flat I spoke to a lawyer recommended by my brother and he suggested instructing a solicitor 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 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 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.
Enquire of Royal Bank of Scotland to suggest a law firm in your location. 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.
Planning on purchasing a flat with a mortgage with Royal Bank of Scotland. 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 Royal Bank of Scotland 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 Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing panel