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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.

Find an Approved Solicitor on the The Royal Bank of Scotland plc First Active Conveyancing Panel

FAQs : The RBS- First Active Conveyancing Panel

Much to my surprise I have been told by my IFA that my lawyer is not on the RBS- First Active Conveyancing panel. What can I do to check?
The first thing you need to do is to contact your lawyer directly. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a firm that is on the the approved RBS- First Active solicitor panel.
My lawyer has identified a difference when comparing the surveyor’s assumptions in RBS- First Active’s valuation survey and what is revealed within the legal papers for the property. My lawyer says that as he is on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my solicitor’s course or action appropriate?
A precondition to being on the RBS- First Active approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on RBS- First Active) 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 both parties.
How up to date is your database of lawyers on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel? Do RBS- First Active send you an updated list?
The firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from RBS- First Active directly.
I am trying to get my former partner removed the mortgage deeds. Can RBS- First Active really insist on which solicitor I can or can not use?
You can use any solicitor you like but RBS- First Active then has the right to appoint a different solicitor to act for them at your expense. It might be more cost effective and quicker to instruct a lawyer who is on the RBS- First Active solicitors panel
I had instructed online solicitors based in Bristol who are on the RBS- First Active solicitor panel. They are now charging me a separate fee of £150 for the legal aspects of the RBS- First Active mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by RBS- First Active?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your solicitors can charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by RBS- First Active but by your lawyers. Some firms on the RBS- First Active will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of firms include it on their overall fee.
My existing mortgage is with RBS- First Active. My uncle has just retired and wants to pay off my mortgage. After RBS- First Active is paid, I want to transfer the property to my mother's name; How long does the process take? Do we need two separate solicitors on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel? I do not intend to live at the property once the RBS- First Active mortgage is discharged.
Although you do need to retain the services of a lawyer they dont need to be on the RBS- First Active panel. You will need a solicitor to draw up the transfer and to deal with the Land Registry formalities. The only thing you need to consider is that by selling at an undervalue so ask your lawyer about the implications. There could be an inheritance tax issue if you die within 7 years of this. There's no capital gains tax for you as it is your main residence.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having made sure that they are on the RBS- First Active conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or Having digested plenty of house buying,I note that they all recommend that you should 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 normal?
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. or 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.