Darlington Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

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

The software creates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. It is also simply to use, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Darlington Building Society

Banks and building societies frequently vary 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 225 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 12.1 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.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
5.4.5 13/12/2018 CML
Conveyancing Searches: Personal Searches
Darlington Building Society approved lawyers clarification as to whether they accept personal searches and, if yes, the Darlington Building Society requirements
Local Search Indemnity Insurance
10.2b 17/07/2018 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?
6.7.1 19/02/2018 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Darlington Building Society panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
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 approved lawyers ?
4.5a 07/04/2017 CML
Mortagge valuation - Reinspections
Contact details at Darlington Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where re-inspection required
6.7.1 07/04/2017 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Darlington Building Society approved 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?
6.8.1 30/01/2017 CML
Roads and Sewers
Contact details at Darlington Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers if no agreement and bond for an unadopted road or sewer
Adoption of Road or Sewer Indemnity Insurance
6.7.1 05/10/2016 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Darlington Building Society panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
5.14.15b 22/01/2015 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Darlington Building Society approved lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : acceptability of indemnity insurance where the terms of the lease are unsatisfactory
Absentee Landlord Indemnity Insurance

Last update 21/05/2019

Common questions asked concerning the Darlington Building Society Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

I appointed a law firm to conduct the legal paperwork on my remortgage three weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Darlington Building Society. The firm confirmed to me that they are on Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel and provided me their panel reference. Darlington Building Society then called me to say that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What happens next? Should I appoint a new solicitor currently on the conveyancing panel for Darlington Building Society?
The answer depends on whether you still have confidence in the said solicitors and how long it will take for the firm to be reinstated on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Darlington Building Society as to how long they think it will take to get the firm to get back on the panel.
Our son is purchasing a newly built flat with a mortgage from Darlington Building Society. His solicitor has said that there is a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when requested.

The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.

The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

I see that you have a search directory identifying solicitors on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I retain them for my conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I was scheduled to move into my flat last Friday. My solicitor is on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel but has moved offices 8 weeks ago and had not advised Darlington Building Society of their new address. Darlington Building Society is now refusing to release my funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is as unusual as it is unlucky. The majority of lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local Darlington Building Society branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can assist.
We have had an offer accepted on a house I spoke to a solicitor recommended by my brother and he suggested retaining a property lawyers approved by Darlington Building Society. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Darlington Building Society if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Darlington Building Society suggested that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Darlington Building Society 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Ask Darlington Building Society for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Most banks have lawyers on their panel throughout the UK. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Darlington Building Society’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I had an offer accepted on a property on the 6th March 2014, valuation was booked 3 days after, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer retained, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Darlington Building Society and chasing them on my offer I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel. Are Darlington Building Society entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Darlington Building Society to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.
I have instructed a lawyer having made sure that they are on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or I've read lots of mortgage guides,I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
Darlington Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Darlington Building Society will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Darlington Building Society you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.