Ecology Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property 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 prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with automatic updates on Ecology Building Society’s changes. While utilising this technology is not a prerequisite for Ecology Building Society , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Ecology Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces COLP and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Ecology Building Society

Lenders frequently 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
5.5.1a 01/12/2014 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
6.14.1 01/12/2014 CML
Building Insurance
Ecology Building Society panel lawyers additional requirements concerning building insurance
1.11a 01/12/2010 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers to obtain mortgage documentation
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?
3.1.5 01/12/2010 CML
contact point if seller has no solicitor or licensed conveyancer
4.3 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
6.12.1 01/12/2010 CML
Pre-emption Rights, Options and Pre-emption Rights
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers to used where Ecology Building Society needs to be notified where property is affected by pre-emption rights, resale restrictions, options etc .
6.13.1 01/12/2010 CML
Conveyancing Searches: Improvement or Repair Grants
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers to used where Ecology Building Society needs to be notified where property is affected by improvement/repair grant which will not be discharged.
6.1.3 01/12/2010 CML
Mortgage offer not taken up
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for approved lawyers where for reporting purposes if borrower is not taking up the mortgage offer
6.4.5 01/12/2010 CML
Full monies through the firm's account
Contact details at Ecology Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers were the law firm will not have control over the payment of all the purchase money.

Last update 26/03/2020

Examples of recent questions relating to the Ecology Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public

My fiance and I are hoping to buy a 1 bedroom apartment in London with a mortgage from Ecology Building Society. We like our solicitor but Ecology Building Society says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the Ecology Building Society panel solicitors or keep our solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Ecology Building Society use our lawyer?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Ecology Building Society
We are only a couple days away from an exchange and my parents having sent the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to disclose this to my lender Ecology Building Society. Apparently, being on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Ecology Building Society if the balance of the mortgage advance is not just from me. I informed the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the home loan so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Ecology Building Society to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to Ecology Building Society if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I see that you have a search directory identifying law firms on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I retain them for my house purchase?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
We're in Birmingham, First timers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Ecology Building Society , but our solicitor is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
Can I be sure that the solicitor on the Ecology Building Society panel is any good?
seeking recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advocate that you speak with the lawyer conducting your transaction
What are the common reasons for a lender such as Ecology Building Society to withdraw a mortgage offer?
Lenders such as Ecology Building Society can withdraw their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. should Ecology Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to their reasoning. There are various possible reasons but here are 5 examples:
  • Many mortgage offers have an expiry date. Your lawyer should check this. Ecology Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer before the end of its validation period if an offer extension is requested and following a re-evaluation of the property the value of the security is below a level which is acceptable to them.
  • If the borrower informs Ecology Building Society of a change in the loan amount agreed
  • Where the lender has to take account a recent change in law
  • Where the lender is on notice of a restriction or a right of pre-emption which is not at market value
  • If the solicitor on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel acting for the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor cannot comply with Ecology Building Society ‘s instructions
I'm in the process of viewing houses and now considering a potential offer. Is it premature to have a solicitor in place? I I am planning to take a mortgage with Ecology Building Society
You should start obtaining conveyancing quotes from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the EA. As you are getting a mortgage with Ecology Building Society , ask your prospective lawyers check they are on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.