Most mortgage lenders release funds within 3 to 7 working days of receiving your solicitor's certificate of title. In practice, your solicitor times the request so that the money arrives the working day before, or the morning of, your date of entry. The lender does not send anything until every condition of your mortgage offer has been met.
This guide explains how drawdown works in Scotland: when your solicitor asks for the funds, how much notice lenders need, when the money lands, what holds it up, and what happens if it arrives late. It also covers remortgages and the steps you can take to avoid a last minute problem.
When do solicitors request mortgage funds in Scotland?
In Scotland, your solicitor usually acts for both you and your lender. Before the lender will pay out, your solicitor must check the title and confirm to the lender that it is good security for the loan. This is done by sending a certificate of title (sometimes called a report on title), and it also acts as the formal request for the funds.
The certificate of title is normally sent once missives are concluded and the date of entry is fixed. Buyers are generally advised not to conclude missives until they have a written mortgage offer, because once missives are concluded there is a binding contract to pay the price on the date of entry.
Most lenders follow the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook for Scotland. Part 1 sets out the general rules solicitors must follow. Part 2 holds each lender's own requirements, including how many days' notice it needs before it releases the money.
How much notice do mortgage lenders need?
Each lender sets its own minimum notice period in Part 2 of the Handbook. Most ask for somewhere between 3 and 7 working days. Some need extra time if a final inspection is required, which is common with new build homes and properties bought with a retention.
These are examples from the Handbook's published answers for Scotland at the time of writing. Lenders can change them, so your solicitor will always check the current figure for your lender.
| Lender | Minimum notice listed in Part 2 |
|---|---|
| Halifax | 3 full working days |
| Nationwide Building Society | 5 working days |
| Barclays Bank UK | 5 working days |
| Santander UK | 5 working days wherever possible |
| HSBC UK | 6 working days |
| Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest | 7 days |
| Virgin Money | No later than 5pm on the working day before completion |
Weekends and bank holidays do not count as working days. A certificate of title sent on a Thursday afternoon for a 5 working day lender will not produce funds by the following Tuesday.
When does a mortgage lender release the funds?
Lenders send the money electronically, usually by CHAPS, into your solicitor's client account. Most solicitors ask for it to arrive on the working day before the date of entry, so it is ready to send first thing on the day. Some lenders release on the morning of settlement instead.
Some lenders, including Nationwide and TSB, charge interest from the day the funds leave them, not from the day you get the keys. That is one reason your solicitor will not ask for the money much earlier than needed.
On the date of entry, your solicitor combines the mortgage funds with your deposit and sends the full price to the seller's solicitor. Under the Scottish Standard Clauses (Edition 6), the price is paid by same day electronic transfer and is not treated as paid until the seller's solicitor has cleared funds.
Once it lands, the keys are released. Our guide on what time you get the keys explains this part of the day.
What can delay the release of mortgage funds?
Most delays come from something that should have been dealt with earlier. The common causes are:
- Unsatisfied offer conditions. Your mortgage offer may require something before drawdown, such as a document, proof of a debt being cleared, or confirmation of works. The lender will not pay until each one is met.
- An expired mortgage offer. Offers last for a set period. If the date of entry falls after expiry, the lender may need to reissue the offer or re-check your circumstances.
- Valuation issues. A down valuation or a request for a re-inspection can change the loan amount or add days.
- Retentions. If the lender has held back part of the loan until repairs are done, that part will not be released at settlement. You need to fund the gap yourself until the work is signed off.
- Anti-money laundering and source of funds checks. Your solicitor must verify your identity and where your deposit comes from. Missing bank statements or gift letters are a frequent cause of last minute delays.
- Title problems. If your solicitor finds an issue the lender needs to know about, such as a missing servitude or a burden affecting value, the lender may need to approve it first.
- A late certificate of title. If missives conclude close to the date of entry, there may not be enough working days left for the lender's notice period.
Our guide to legal issues that delay property purchases in Scotland covers title and search problems in more detail.
What happens if mortgage funds are late?
If the funds do not arrive on the date of entry, you cannot pay the price and you will not get the keys that day. Because missives are a binding contract, late payment has consequences for you as the buyer.
Under clause 13 of the Scottish Standard Clauses (Edition 6), if the price is paid late the seller can claim either their losses or interest at 4% above the Royal Bank of Scotland base rate. If the price is still unpaid more than 14 days after the due date, the seller can rescind the missives and claim damages. Your own missives may vary these terms, so check with your solicitor.
There is a lender side too. If settlement is delayed after the funds have arrived, your solicitor must tell the lender and may have to send the money back.
Nationwide's Part 2 requirements, for example, require the advance to be returned within 3 working days of issue unless it agrees otherwise, with interest charged from the day the funds were released. Some lenders set shorter limits.
How long does remortgage drawdown take?
A remortgage follows a similar pattern. Your solicitor checks the title, obtains a redemption figure from your current lender, and sends the certificate of title to the new lender with the agreed drawdown date.
The same notice periods apply, so allow at least a week once the legal work is complete. On drawdown, the new lender sends the funds to your solicitor, who repays your old lender. The new standard security is then registered and the old one is discharged in the Land Register of Scotland.
Because no one is waiting to move in, there is more flexibility on the date. Many people aim to draw down shortly before their current deal ends to avoid moving onto the old lender's standard variable rate.
How to avoid delays with your mortgage funds
- Instruct your solicitor early and send identity documents and proof of your deposit as soon as they are asked for.
- Read your mortgage offer as soon as it arrives and tell your solicitor about any condition you cannot meet.
- Check the offer expiry date against the proposed date of entry before missives are concluded.
- Do not change jobs, take on new credit or move large sums between accounts without telling your broker and solicitor.
- Agree a date of entry that leaves enough working days for your lender's notice period, especially around public holidays.
- Transfer your deposit to your solicitor in good time. Large bank transfers can take longer than expected if your bank runs security checks.
Getting advice
If you are buying with a mortgage, a solicitor who knows your lender's requirements will plan the drawdown from the start, so the date of entry is realistic and the money is there when you need it. Our purchase conveyancing service handles the lender's work as part of the fixed fee, and you can check the cost for your property with our conveyancing quote calculator.
Kirsty Docherty, Head of Residential Conveyancing
Kirsty leads our residential conveyancing team and has over a decade of experience in residential property law in Scotland. Last updated 2 November 2026. This guide is general information about Scots law, not legal advice for your situation.
