Scottish criteria

The process

In Scotland, properties sold on the open market often utilise an ‘offers over’ process, where a seller can determine a selling price and invite prospective buyers to submit offers at or around that price. This can be at, above or below the figure in the Home Report. If there’s been more than one bid, a ‘closing date' can be set or the seller can opt to accept the most preferable offer. Where a closing date has been arranged, the seller can decide on the most suitable offer received, usually the highest bidder. Then the missives process takes place, with a completion date agreed. The successful bidder will have secured the property once missives are concluded.

A ‘fixed price’ approach can also be applied by the seller. Where a suitable purchase buyer offers the fixed price, they'll then secure the property once the missives have been concluded. The fixed price doesn’t necessarily need to be the same as the valuation figure contained within the Home Report.

In order to get the correct product and LTV (where agreed purchase price is different from the Home Report figure) you should key the application with the lower of the valuation or the purchase price. Then contact us to update the purchase price to the correct amount. If it’s already lower than the market value we won't need to update it.

You can also complete the above by uploading a Material Change Form to the application, the form must clearly confirm the purchase price and source of additional deposit (if any).

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Scottish address formats and proofs

When finding your client’s address, you should check what address NFI Online returns first. If this doesn't match the proof that you have, then you should use the ‘Enter Manually’ option. Your client should check what address format they hold with one of the following Credit Reference Agencies; TransUnion, Equifax or Experian.

We’ll only request proof of name and address where your client isn’t automatically verified when applying. UK Passport and UK Driving Licences can be used as both name AND address ID on the same application. We’ll ask for an acceptable proof of address (on receipt) if the documents show an undeclared address.

Address format variants on proofs, such as flats, may be accepted after assessment. For more information, please contact us.

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Shared Equity and Shared Ownership

All Shared Equity schemes need to be checked by the acting conveyancer against the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook . Please see our low cost home ownership schemes guide for more information.

In Scotland, the LIFT (Low Income for First Time Buyers) scheme is supported and will be classed as shared equity. However, we won’t accept schemes with a Golden Share element. 

We also accept applications from applicants using First Home Fund schemes.

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Scottish Islands

For a list of Scottish Islands we'll consider lending on, please see our Geographical Area section.

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Glossary

Tenure

Most of the land has historically been held under what is known as Feudal Tenure. There is a co-ordinated programme of Property Law reform to replace Feudal Tenure with outright / absolute ownership. This is referred to as ‘Ownership Scotland’ in NFI Online (Freehold Tenure in Scotland doesn’t exist, and Leasehold tenure is uncommon). 

Home Report

Under Scottish Property Law the seller is required to get a Home Report on the property being sold before it is placed on the market. There are three sections within a Home Report; the Property Questionnaire, a Single Survey and an Energy Report.

We’ll accept a transcript of the Single Survey section, which will be automatically requested on NFI Online once the FMA has been completed. Home Reports are valid for 90 days from, and including, the date of inspection until the Mortgage Offer is issued. If the 90 day timeframe expires before we receive the Mortgage Offer, your client will need to arrange a replacement Home Report (also known as a refreshed report). We won’t be able to do this. 

When your client receives the new Home Report, they should email Panel.Maintenance@nationwide.co.uk and provide the date of the new Home Report (also known as a refreshed report) and check that we have a copy of the up to date transcript. We don’t offer a free Mortgage Valuation report in this instance.

Please see the Valuations section for more information.

Missives

Missives covers the exchange of correspondence between solicitors and includes a formal offer to purchase or sell and an acceptance of that offer. Property transactions in Scotland become legally binding for all parties upon ‘conclusion of Missives’ also known as ‘concluding the bargain’.

Golden Share

A golden share element is a share that gives the shareholder veto power over changes to details held in the contract.

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