Ecology Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s 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 management tool.

This system facilitates the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Ecology Building Society’s changes. Even though utilising the tool 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, more importantly, protect your panel standing.

The system generates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. It is also simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Ecology Building Society

Lenders frequently vary 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, over time:

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,

Book a Personalised Demo

Ecology Building Society Conveyancing Panel Sample Enquires to our Call Center from members of the public

Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer is not on the Ecology Building Society Conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of his conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for Ecology Building Society.
Our conveyancer has identified a problem with the lease for the apartment we are buying. The other side have put forward title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor says that as he is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel he must be satisfied that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or Ecology Building Society?
Just because you have a mortgage offer from Ecology 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 Ecology Building Society are the client. These conveyancing instructions must be adhered to by the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel who has to balance acting for you and Ecology Building Society
Do banks and building societies provide you with an approved list of solicitors? How do you know who is on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel?
The firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Ecology Building Society directly.
My grandmother passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the house. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £5k. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Ecology Building Society , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this allowed?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Ecology Building Society will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Ecology Building Society mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
We have agreed to purchase a house.One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Ecology Building Society be concerned
As you are obtaining a mortgage with Ecology Building Society your lawyer must to check the Ecology Building Society conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Ecology Building Society . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Ecology Building Society where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. The CML are developing guidance for Northern Ireland and Scotland.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having made sure that they are on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or Having digested plenty of house buying,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 Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Ecology Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Ecology 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 Ecology Building Society you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.
My ex -wife’s name is on the Ecology Building Society mortgage of my property but not on the land registry. The apartment was transferred to me on our divorce many years ago by way of a sealed court order. Does my ex still have a say on the sale even though the land registry showing the property in my name alone? Will I be required to take her name of the Ecology Building Society mortgage in order to sell?
In terms of the Ecology Building Society mortgage, it is unusual that your ex-wife’s name remains on the mortgage but not on the title. It is conceivable that this is an oversight on the part of your conveyancers to ensure that her name was removed or even an administrative error on the part of Ecology Building Society in failing to update their data. In any event, it should cause difficulty providing her name no longer appears on the Land Registry title and you have a court order ordering that the property is transferred to you.