Holmesdale Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. It is a unique risk management tool.

This system optimises the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Holmesdale Building Society’s changes. Even though using this technology is not a condition for being on the Holmesdale Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Holmesdale Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel status.

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 reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Holmesdale Building Society

Banks and building societies frequently change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Holmesdale 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, Holmesdale Building Society has made 31 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 88.1 days. In total, 14% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Holmesdale Building Society have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
5.5.1b 01/12/2014 CML
conveyancing requirements in terms of time for building regulation consents
6.14.1c 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance total sum insured calculation
6.14.2 01/12/2014 CML
requirement that all insurance risks are included
3.1.3 01/12/2014 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Do Holmesdale 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?
6.14.1b 02/07/2012 CML
buildings insurance in joint names or lender interest noted
10.3 16/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
What are the standard deductions made by Holmesdale Building Society from the mortgage advance?
10.7 16/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
In the event of a delayed completion, when and how is advance to be returned to Holmesdale Building Society by the conveyancing panel?
3.1.4 16/12/2010 CML
details of the seller's solicitors or licensed conveyancers
17.2.1b 01/12/2010 CML
Evidence of Discharge of Mortgage
Do Holmesdale Building Society send the discharge via a DS 1 form or direct with the Land Registry?
5.4.6 01/12/2010 CML
Conveyancing Searches: Search Insurance
Holmesdale Building Society approved lawyers clarification as to whether they accept search insurance and, if yes, the Holmesdale Building Society requirements
Local Search Indemnity Insurance

Last update 25/03/2020

Common questions asked concerning the Holmesdale Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public

I need to swap lawyers as my lawyer is not on the Holmesdale Building Society panel of conveyancing solicitors. Is it practical to instruct different lawyers?
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.
can you help? My lawyer is advising me that he is legally obliged to apply for a Local Authority search as the firm are on the Holmesdale Building Society approved lawyer panel. The searches cost a lot of money. Can this be avoided?
Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with Holmesdale 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 Holmesdale Building Society’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Holmesdale Building Society. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
I need to find a Holmesdale Building Society panel solicitor in Stirling. Can you assist?
It is not clear why you need a Holmesdale Building Society panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Holmesdale Building Society to find out which solicitors in Holmesdale Building Society are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. At a fee of one pound per month it is not expensive to register on the site
I am considering applying for a Holmesdale Building Society mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) with 60% loan to value. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Holmesdale Building Society?
There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor but Holmesdale Building Society will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.
Hi, thinking about buying a house off my mate. Assuming we can agree a figure, what’s the best way to proceed? I hope to get a mortgage with Holmesdale Building Society. Is it possible to avoid using solicitors to save on the costs? My dad reckons back in the day he did a lot of it himself, just went into the land registry office and providing them with the info they needed himself
If you are getting a mortgage with Holmesdale Building Society involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel. We would not encourage you to both use the same solicitors' firm. There are clear conflict of interest issues and it's not going to make a huge difference to the speed of the overall process. So as not to hold things us you should pass on your solicitors details to Holmesdale Building Society. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the Holmesdale Building Society conveyancing panel.
Holmesdale Building Society have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on house has been accepted, now what?
The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure these solicitors are on the lenders panel). Call up Holmesdale Building Society or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Holmesdale Building Society will tell you what documents they want. Holmesdale Building Society will instruct a valuer. The valuer will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about week to get a mortgage offer. Holmesdale Building Society will issue the offer to you and your lawyer. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing.
My offer on house has been 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 Holmesdale Building Society?
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 Holmesdale Building Society 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 Holmesdale Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.