Family 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 such as AmTrust. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This software is the only way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on Family Building Society’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising this technology is not a condition for being on the Family Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Family Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, just as importantly, safeguard your panel standing.

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

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Mortgage companies often vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Family 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, Family Building Society has made 33 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 82.7 days. In total, 15% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Family Building Society have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
5.14.9 15/04/2019 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Contact details at Family Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers for matters relating to the lease.
14.2.1 08/12/2016 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Where should conveyancing panelfor Family Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
16.3.2 21/03/2016 CML
Transfer of Equity
Family Building Society details for requesting debt amount
16.4.1 21/03/2016 CML
Consent to Let
Contact details at Family Building Society for consent to let.
6.7.1 09/10/2015 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Family Building Society panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
3.1.6 01/12/2014 CML
verification of identity
5.5.1a 01/12/2014 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
6.14.1a 01/12/2014 CML
contact point if property is not insured in accordance with lender requirement
6.14.1b 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance in joint names or lender interest noted
6.14.1d 01/12/2014 CML
maximum excess re building insurance

Last update 16/01/2020

FAQs for the Family Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public

It has come to my attention via my broker that my the law firm I have appointed is not on the Family Building Society Solicitor panel. How can I check?
You need to contact your lawyer directly. 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 Family Building Society.
We are approaching an exchange and my parents having transferred the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to make a notification to my lender Family Building Society. I am advised that, being on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Family Building Society if the balance of the mortgage advance is coming from anyone other than me. I informed the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the mortgage so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Family 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 Family Building Society if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
Do I need to attend the offices of the Family Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will choose one who does conveyancing in Manchester so that I can attend their offices when needed.
Whereas this was necessary twenty years ago, most lenders no longer require their conveyancing panel solicitor to witness the borrowers signature. You will still be obliged to provide ID Documents and there are still distinct advantages to using a local solicitor, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Manchester .
I am purchasing a terraced house and getting a mortgage with Family Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to made in you doing to conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel in your location.
Do most banks operate their own panel of solicitors?
Many lenders do operate a restricted conveyancing panel but a lot of lenders allow any solicitors to join their panel so long as they meet their criteria. Each lender sets their own criteria. For example the Family Building Society conveyancing panel requirements are different to Family Building Society’s conveyancing panel requirements.
We are getting a further advance on our mortgage from Family Building Society as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our home. Do we need to appoint a solicitor on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?
Family Building Society would not normally instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they did require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Family Building Society panel
Is it common for Family Building Society to withdraw a mortgage offer and what would be the reasoning?
Banks and Building Societies such as Family Building Society can withdraw their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. In the unlikely event that Family Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are many potential reasons but here are a few examples:
  • If the borrower informs Family Building Society of a change in security address
  • If the borrower informs Family Building Society of a change in the loan amount agreed
  • Situations where information provided by the borrower that enabled the lender to make a lending decision is fraudulent, incorrect or misleading.
  • Where the Lender’s right to possession is fettered in some way
  • If the lender reasonably believe that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is insolvent or is about to become insolvent or has or will have a petition presented or if any one or all enter into any arrangement with their creditors generally or if any one or all should suffer a material change in their financial circumstances