Darlington Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers such as AmTrust. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This system is the only way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Darlington Building Society’s changes. While using the software is not a condition for being on the Darlington Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Darlington Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, protect your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will enhance 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 Darlington Building Society

Mortgage companies frequently change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Darlington Building Society are not guidelines, they are instructions from a client. As with many clients, instructions can change - and they do change, over time:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Darlington Building Society has made 245 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 11.1 days. In total, 59% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Darlington Building Society have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
6.7.1 19/02/2018 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Darlington Building Society approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
5.1.1 21/08/2017 CML
Properties owned for less than 6 months
Contact details at Darlington Building Society for approved lawyers where there is a restriction on use.
10.10 07/04/2017 CML
holding the mortgage advance
10.2b 07/04/2017 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
What is the minimum number of days notice Darlington Building Society require ahead of sending the mortgage advance?
4.1 07/04/2017 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Darlington Building Society arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their conveyancing panel lawyers ?
4.3 07/04/2017 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Darlington Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
6.7.1 14/02/2017 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Darlington Building Society panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
3.2.3 08/02/2017 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Darlington Building Society requirements for notification of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?
3.1.3 30/01/2017 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Do Darlington Building Society require notification form their approved lawyer of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?
5.4.4 08/06/2016 CML
Conveyancing Searches: Environmental Searches
Darlington Building Society panel lawyers requirement as to whether they want receive environmental or contaminated land reports

Last update 20/07/2019

Darlington Building Society Conveyancing Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public

Much to my surprise I have been told by my mortgage adviser that my property lawyer is not on the Darlington Building Society Conveyancing panel. How can I be certain that this is indeed the case?
The best course of action for you to take is to contact your conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for Darlington Building Society.
My conveyancer has requested from me personal identification documents saying that this forms part of his retainer as a conveyancer on the Darlington Building Society Conveyancing panel. Can this be correct?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Client Care letter that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that Darlington Building Society also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with Darlington Building Society CML Handbook requirements last updated on Darlington Building Society
Do all the licensed conveyancers and solicitor practices listed on your search have online case tracking as I understood that this was a condition of being on the Darlington Building Society solicitor panel?
No. There is no CML Part 2 or Building Society Association requirement relating to online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
I would like to get my ex-wife taken off the mortgage deeds. Can Darlington Building Society really tell me which solicitor I can or can not use?
You can use any solicitor you like but Darlington Building Society 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 Darlington Building Society solicitors panel
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Darlington Building Society do lawyers have to be pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?
We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their panel although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
I am buying a property where the roof has a solar panel. Darlington Building Society have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Darlington Building Society your lawyer must to check the Darlington Building Society conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Darlington Building Society . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Darlington Building Society where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. Requirements for Scotland are due in the near future.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat. I have a mortgage agreed with Darlington Building Society. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event if you are getting a mortgage with Darlington Building Society you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel.