Find a Law Firm
approved by RBS- 1st Active
Ready to buy a new home? Failing to check that a lawyer is on the RBS- 1st Active list of approved solicitors can put your transaction at risk of delay or failure.
Looking for information about your firm's panel status?
How does my firm apply to be on the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active Conveyancing Panel? How can my firm be reinstated onto the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active Conveyancing Panel?Find an Approved Solicitor on the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active Conveyancing Panel
Common questions asked concerning the RBS- First Active Solicitor Panel
It has come to my attention via my financial adviser that my lawyer is not on the RBS- First Active Solicitor panel. How can I check?
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 could put your in touch with solicitors on the the approved RBS- First Active solicitor panel.
Please help. My lawyer is assuring me that she is duty-bound to conduct a Local Authority search as the firm are on the RBS- First Active solicitor panel. The searches cost a lot of money. Can this be avoided?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with RBS- First Active your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of RBS- First Active’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated RBS- First Active. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the RBS- First Active 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 RBS- First Active 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 RBS- First Active solicitor panel.
The lawyers that just started acting on my purchase in Manchester has without warning closed. They were on acting for me because I needed a solicitor on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel and my family lawyer was not. I paid them £200 on account. What should be my next steps?
Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know straight away so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to assist
The for formalities of my purchase has taken place with a mortgage from RBS- First Active. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about RBS- First Active. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?
All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the RBS- First Active branches or the Customer Services Department at RBS- First Active head office. In most cases complaints to RBS- First Active are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is resolved you can write to the
Financial Ombudsman Service at South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.
I can not work out if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called RBS- First Active on various occasions and told it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told not they would not lend in accordance with their CML Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I simply dont know who is right
Your lawyer has to follow the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for RBS- First Active. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that RBS- First Active will go ahead your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask RBS- First Active to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.
I have instructed a lawyer having checked that they are on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?
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Having read lots of mortgage guides,I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
RBS- First Active will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually RBS- First Active will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey.
You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.
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Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with RBS- First Active you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.
Other Topics
Transfer of Equity for RBS- First ActivePlease note that Lexsure Ltd is in no way associated with nor affiliated with Lexsure Solicitors