Halifax Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and professional indemnity insures. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system facilitates the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on Halifax’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising the tool is not a prerequisite for Halifax , demonstrating you can remain up to date with Halifax’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

The system generates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

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Lenders often vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Halifax 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, Halifax has made 365 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 7.5 days. In total, 39% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Halifax have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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FAQs : The Halifax Solicitor Panel from members of the public

I am expecting a offer of a mortgage from Halifax. I would like to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer. Does the Halifax Solicitor panel exclude conveyancers regulated by the CLC
Halifax’s conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
My son is in the process of securing a newly built flat with a mortgage from Halifax. His lawyer has said that there is a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?
The form is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Halifax conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when requested.

The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.

The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Halifax conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

Do all the firms listed on your directory have online case tracking as I was under the impression that this was a precondition of being on the Halifax solicitor panel?
The Council of Mortgage Lenders or BSA do not require online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
We're in London, First timers buying with a mortgage (lender is Halifax , but our solicitor is on the Halifax conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Halifax 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
Is the case that all CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors on the Halifax conveyancing panel?
Some major lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of firms.
Is it the case that all conveyancing solicitors on the Halifax conveyancing panel overseen by the SRA?
As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Halifax conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
At last I have had an offer on an apartment accepted, the seller does however have a dependent purchase. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage app going with Halifax?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Halifax conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Halifax and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.