Secure Trust Bank Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This system assists the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on Secure Trust Bank’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising 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 panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces COLP and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. It is also user friendly, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Secure Trust Bank

Lenders often vary 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.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

Book a Personalised Demo

Common questions asked concerning the Secure Trust Bank Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

What is the rationale as to why all property lawyers are not on the Secure Trust Bank Conveyancing panel?
Even though it may seem unfair for Secure Trust Bank to restrict who can act for them from the public’s or solicitor’s point of view, the other side of the coin is that the lenders are becoming ever more anxious and feel the necessary need to protect them from mortgage fraud and other illegal activities. As a result of this concern Secure Trust Bank are limiting their panel of approved conveyancing lawyers to a manageable size. The Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel is not the smallest
My conveyancer has identified a discrepancy between the assumptions in Secure Trust Bank’s valuation report and what is in the legal papers for the property. My lawyer has advised that as he is on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel he needs to ensure that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my lawyer’s approach right?
A precondition to being on the Secure Trust Bank approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Secure Trust Bank) 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 need to find a Secure Trust Bank panel solicitor in Belfast. Could you help me?
It is not clear why you need a Secure Trust Bank panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Secure Trust Bank to find out which solicitors in Secure Trust Bank are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. After all the cost is only one £1 a month
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Secure Trust Bank 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.
I have today made my last payment due on mortgage with Secure Trust Bank. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the Secure Trust Bank panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Secure Trust Bank 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 Secure Trust Bank mortgage from the register. Secure Trust Bank,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 Secure Trust Bank has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and the Secure Trust Bank has instructed the Land Registry to do so The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Secure Trust Bank mortgage has been paid off.
I have not been happy with the level or service received from my lawyer. Is there a Secure Trust Bank conveyancing panel complaints department or do I complain directly to the law firm?
Complaining to Secure Trust Bank about their conveyancing panel is unlikely to yield much of a response. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.

The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is addressed by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.

If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.

Secure Trust Bank have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on house has been accepted, now what?
The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure these solicitors are on the lenders panel). Call up Secure Trust Bank or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Secure Trust Bank will tell you what documents they want. Secure Trust Bank will instruct a valuer. The valuer will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about week to get a mortgage offer. Secure Trust Bank will issue the offer to you and your lawyer. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing.