Secure Trust Bank Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and professional indemnity insures. It is a unique risk management tool.

This system is the only way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Secure Trust Bank’s changes. While using the software is not a prerequisite for Secure Trust Bank , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Secure Trust Bank’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

The system generates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Secure Trust Bank

Lenders frequently change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Secure 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 2008, Secure Trust Bank has made 3 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 910.0 days. In total, 1% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Secure Trust Bank have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Secure Trust Bank Solicitor Panel Example Support Desk Enquires from members of the public

My husband and I are novices when it comes to buying a property. Within the 48 hours our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Secure Trust Bank have this morning contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser's solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender.

In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitors should contact Secure Trust Bank and see if they can apply for membership of the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable Secure Trust Bank will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

Our conveyancer has discovered a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are purchasing. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our lawyer says that as he is on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is Secure Trust Bank?
Just because you have a mortgage offer from Secure Trust Bank does not mean to say that the property will be meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the CML Handbook Requirements. You and Secure Trust Bank are the client. These conveyancing instructions must be adhered to by the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel who has to balance acting for you and Secure Trust Bank
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Secure Trust Bank approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Secure Trust Bank solicitor panel.
My solicitors in London have advised me that no longer have my conveyancing file. At the time of my purchase I took out a mortgage with Secure Trust Bank. Is it case that being on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a prescribed period?
It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the Secure Trust Bank Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting Secure Trust Bank directly.
Are all Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel?
A selection of lenders now use CQS as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their panels.
Is it the case that all conveyancing solicitors on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
The for formalities of my purchase has taken place with a loan from Secure Trust Bank. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about Secure Trust Bank. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the Secure Trust Bank branches or the Customer Care Team at Secure Trust Bank head office. Ordinarily complaints to Secure Trust Bank are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel that the matter is not resolved you can write to the Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.