Accord Buy to Let Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers such as AmTrust. It is a unique risk management tool.

This system optimises the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on Accord Buy to Let’s changes. While using COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for being on the Accord Buy to Let panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Accord Buy to Let’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Accord Buy to Let

Lenders often vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Accord Buy to Let 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, Accord Buy to Let has made 120 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 22.8 days. In total, 57% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Accord Buy to Let have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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FAQs for the Accord Buy to Let Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

On what basis could a firm of solicitors be excluded from the Accord Buy to Let approved conveyancing panel?
According to a recent survey report by the solicitors regulator three quarters of law firms had been excluded from a lender panel. The most common reasons in order are :
  1. lack of transactions
  2. the lawyer is a sole practitioner
  3. as part of the HSBC panel reduction
  4. regulatory contact by SRA
  5. accidental removal. We are not aware of the specific or common criteria for removal by Accord Buy to Let
Can you help?. For no fault of my lawyer but, my purchase conveyancing has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from Accord Buy to Let was dated random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on Tues etc. My lawyer has advised that as she is on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing panel she needs to reorder the searches as they are no longer valid.
A precondition to being on the Accord Buy to Let approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Accord Buy to Let)which states that a local authority search be not more than 6 months old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to Accord Buy to Let.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Accord Buy to Let 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 Accord Buy to Let 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 Accord Buy to Let solicitor panel.
I am considering applying for a Accord Buy to Let mortgage for purchase of a newly converted (under development) with 70% LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Accord Buy to Let?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Accord Buy to Let will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
For 5 years I had a mortgage with Accord Buy to Let. My uncle retired last week and wants to pay off my mortgage. After Accord Buy to Let is paid, I want to transfer the property to my mother's name; How long will it roughly take? Do we need two separate solicitors on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing panel? I do not intend to live at the property once the Accord Buy to Let mortgage is discharged.
You will need a solicitor but they need not be on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing 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.
Planning on purchasing a flat with a mortgage with Accord Buy to Let. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing panel
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What do I do now? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Accord Buy to Let?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Accord Buy to Let conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Accord Buy to Let and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.