Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and professional indemnity insures. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This software facilitates the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on Harpenden Building Society’s changes. While using this technology is not a condition for acceptance on the Harpenden Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Harpenden Building Society’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, protect your firm’s panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. It is also simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

Book a Harpenden Building Society Demo for this Panel Compliance Tool

Mortgage companies often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Harpenden 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, Harpenden Building Society has made 148 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 18.4 days. In total, 63% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Harpenden 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
1.11b 01/12/2014 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers to where standard mortgage documentation is inappropriate
5.20.3 01/12/2014 CML
Panels PV Solar
Existence of additional requirements set by Harpenden Building Society for approved lawyers relating to leases of roof space for solar PV panels, and if so, what they are.
1.11a 18/08/2014 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers to obtain mortgage documentation
14.2.1 01/12/2010 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Where should approved lawyersfor Harpenden Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
3.2.4 01/12/2010 CML
Sellers not having Legal Representation
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers to used where Harpenden Building Society needs to be notified when the seller does not have legal representation.
4.3 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for approved lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
5.13.1 01/12/2010 CML
Balance of Monies
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where borrower is not providing balance of purchase price from funds/proposing to give second charge.
Insolvency Act Indemnity Insurance Deed of Gift Indemnity Insurance
5.14.9 01/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for approved lawyers for matters relating to the lease.
5.19.1 01/12/2010 CML
Shared Ownership and Shared Equity
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for approved lawyers for lending on affordable housing, shared equity and shared ownership and where relevant Harpenden Building Society requirements.
5.5.4 01/12/2010 CML
Planning Permission and Building Regulations : Restrictions
Contact details at Harpenden Building Society for approved lawyers where the property is subject to restrictions which may affect its value or marketability
Restrictive Covenant Indemnity Insurance

Last update 12/11/2018

FAQs : The Harpenden Building Society Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find one who is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. Is it advisable to appoint a new law firm?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
Please help. My conveyancer is advising me that he is legally obliged to conduct a Local Authority search as the firm are on the Harpenden Building Society solicitor panel. Is my lawyer correct?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with Harpenden Building Society your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of Harpenden Building Society’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Harpenden Building Society. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
Do all the licensed conveyancers and solicitor practices listed on your directory have online case tracking as I was under the impression that this was a precondition of being on the Harpenden Building Society solicitor panel?
No. There is no CML Part 2 or Building Society Association requirement relating to online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
The firm that I appointed last week on my purchase in Brighton has suddenly shut down. I only went with them because I had to have a firm on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel and my preferred lawyer was not. I paid them £200 on account. What are my options?
If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to help
My husband and I are spending time viewing houses and now considering a potential offer. Is it best to have a conveyancer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society
It would be sensible to have your start your search soon rather than later. 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 estate agent. As you are getting a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Harpenden Building Society. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?
It is not advisable proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event if you are getting a mortgage with Harpenden Building Society you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel.
My husband and I are taking a long lease of a terraced house in Hendon. Conveyancing solicitors in Hendon are about to beinstructed. My fatheradvised that we enquire that the conveyancer in Hendon is on the Harpenden Building Society panel. Aren't all lawyers on the Harpenden Building Society panel?
Far from all Hendon conveyancing solicitors are on the Harpenden Building Society conveyancing panel. Use the above search tool to locate a Hendon conveyancing firm on the on the Harpenden Building Society approved list of lawyers.