Ecology Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This software optimises the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on Ecology Building Society’s changes. Even though utilising the software is not a condition for being on the Ecology Building Society panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Ecology Building Society’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your panel status.

The software generates real-time alerts, automatically produces COLP and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Ecology Building Society

Banks and building societies often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Ecology 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


Since 2008, Ecology Building Society has made 175 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 15.6 days. In total, 42% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Ecology 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
6.14.1b 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance in joint names or lender interest noted
5.20.4 01/12/2014 CML
Green Deal Plans
Ecology Building Society requirements for conveyancing panel/approved lawyers as to whether Ecology Building Society need to be notified/reported as to details of any existing Green Deal Plan(s) on a property
14.2.2 08/05/2013 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Which documents should conveyancing panelfor Ecology Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
1.11b 01/12/2010 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers to where standard mortgage documentation is inappropriate
14.2.1 01/12/2010 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Where should approved lawyersfor Ecology Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
3.2.4 01/12/2010 CML
Sellers not having Legal Representation
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers to used where Ecology Building Society needs to be notified when the seller does not have legal representation.
4.3 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
5.14.10 01/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Ecology Building Society approved lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : contact for service charge matters
5.15.2a 01/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing : Management Company
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers for apparent problems with the management company.
5.19.1 01/12/2010 CML
Shared Ownership and Shared Equity
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers for lending on affordable housing, shared equity and shared ownership and where relevant Ecology Building Society requirements.

Last update 16/05/2019

FAQs for the Ecology Building Society Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find one who is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Is it practical to instruct different lawyers?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
I am buying a brand new flat and my lawyer is informing me that she has to disclose incentives from the builder as her practice is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. The Estate Agents are hassling me to sign contracts and I dont want to delay deal. Is my lawyer right?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the Ecology Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Ecology Building Society). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I am looking to buy a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in who is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a firm?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Ecology Building Society . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
I am considering applying for a Ecology Building Society mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) with 60% LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Ecology Building Society?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel, but Ecology Building Society would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same transaction.
Is there a list of Ecology Building Society panel solicitors on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
Is it the case that all conveyancing solicitors on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel work on a no sale no fee basis?
In the main there are no requirements by lenders for their firms to operate on a no-sale-no-fee basis. There a small number of lenders who operate a very restricted conveyancing panel managed by a third party company (often termed in the industry as a ‘gatekeeper’). That third party may impose certain conditions such as non-sale-no fee on the panel firms. If you require this as a condition of your conveyancing then you should check with the conveyancing firm that this is part of their package
I had an offer accepted on an apartment on the 12th February 2014, valuation was booked five days later, all came back fine. Property lawyer instructed, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Ecology 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 Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Are Ecology Building Society entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Ecology Building Society to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.