Chesham Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and professional indemnity insures. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This software optimises the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Chesham Building Society’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising this technology is not a condition for being on the Chesham Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Chesham Building Society’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your firm’s panel status.

The system generates real-time alerts, automatically produces COLP and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Chesham Building Society

Mortgage companies frequently change their requirements. The BSA instructions from Chesham Building Society 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


To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Chesham Building Society Solicitor Panel Example Support Desk Enquires from members of the public

What is the rationale as to why all UK lawyers are not on the Chesham Building Society Conveyancing panel?
Before the recession most lenders had an appetite for risk which was higher than today. The Financial Services Authority in 2010 conducted a thematic review into mortgage fraud which concluded: know the conveyancing solicitors that you are dealing with. Consequently, lenders have regularly sought more information from law firms about their operations and the individuals who work for them and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many firms that have been excluded from lender panels have 100% healthy track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Such firms were never going to meet the criteria of volume of transactions the lenders required.
Our solicitor has discovered a legal deficiency with the lease for the flat we are buying. The other side have put forward title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer says that as he is on the Chesham Building Society conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is Chesham Building Society?
Just because you have a mortgage offer from Chesham Building Society does not mean to say that the property will be meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the CML Handbook Requirements. You and Chesham Building Society are the client. These conveyancing instructions have to be complied with by the Chesham Building Society conveyancing panel who has to balance acting for you and Chesham Building Society
I am purchasing a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in London who is on the Chesham Building Society approved. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Chesham Building Society . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
I am remortgaging my flat does my lawyer need to be on the Chesham Building Society Conveyancing panel?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Chesham Building Society will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
Are all Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Chesham Building Society conveyancing panel?
Some major banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.
Can I register a complaint to Chesham Building Society about the lawyers being on the Chesham Building Society conveyancing panel?
There is little point in complaining directly to Chesham Building Society. All solicitors and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. Usually one can find this information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.

The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is addressed by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.

If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.

At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, the seller does however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? At what point should I appy for the mortgage with Chesham Building Society?
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 Chesham Building Society 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 Chesham Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.