Family Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers such as AmTrust. It is a unique risk management tool.

This software optimises the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on Family Building Society’s changes. Even though 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 software generates 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 Family Building Society

Banks and building societies often change 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 30 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 91.0 days. In total, 14% 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
5.14.1 15/12/2017 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Family Building Society approved lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : minimum unexpired lease term
14.2.1 08/12/2016 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Where should approved lawyersfor Family Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
16.5.2 21/03/2016 CML
Deed of Variation
Contact details at Family Building Society for approved lawyers for confirming proposed deed of variation or agreement will not adversely affect Family Building Society
6.14.1 30/11/2015 CML
Building Insurance
Family Building Society panel lawyers additional requirements concerning building insurance
3.1.4 01/12/2014 CML
details of the seller's solicitors or licensed conveyancers
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
6.14.1 01/12/2014 CML
Building Insurance
Family Building Society approved lawyers additional requirements concerning building insurance
3.1.3 01/12/2014 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Do Family Building Society require notification form their panel lawyer of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?
3.1.5 01/12/2014 CML
ID Documentation
Family Building Society panel lawyers requirements re ID Documentation: Further acceptable documents (if any)

Last update 06/01/2019

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

I appointed a firm of solicitors to work on my house purchase three weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Family Building Society. The firm assured me that they are on Family Building Society conveyancing panel and gave me their panel number. Family Building Society then ,via my broker advised that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What happens next? Do I instruct a different law firm listed on the approved panel for Family Building Society?
You may be very frustrated with the lawyer but if it only go take a few more days they it may be worth waiting as, depending on how far progressed you are you may end up delaying the transaction by a number of weeks if you need to replace your solicitor You may wish to enlist the help of your broker to check with the Family Building Society as to the time frame to get your lawyer reinstated on the panel once again.
We are due to exchange on the purchase a house but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have agreed compensation from the seller of £3k approx by way of a reduction in the price. This was going to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process but my mortgage company Family Building Society will not agree to this. Why was Family Building Society even consulted?
Your lawyer being on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel is duty bound to inform Family Building Society of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your lawyers to disclose the reduction to Family Building Society then they would have to discontinue acting for you and Family Building Society.
Do I have to visit the offices of the Family Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor to sign the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Leeds so that I can attend their offices when needed.
Whereas this was necessary ten 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 Leeds .
I was supposed to move into my dream home last Thursday. My solicitor is on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel but has moved offices in the past couple of months and had not advised Family Building Society of their new address. Family Building Society has locked down the release of mortgage 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 Family 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 lawyer recommended by my uncle and he suggested using a law firm approved by Family Building Society. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Family Building Society if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Family 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 Family 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 Family Building Society to suggest a law firm in your location. 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 Family 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 Family Building Society conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Family 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.
The mortgage over my property is with Family Building Society. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Family Building Society?
Your original mortgage agreement with Family Building Society will provide that you need their approval in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Family Building Society’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Family Building Society directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Family Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor.
After shopping around on the internet I have found a solicitor having checked that they are on the Family Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or I've read lots 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 Family Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Family Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Family 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 Family Building Society you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.