Manchester Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

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

This software is the only way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Manchester Building Society’s changes. While using the tool is not a condition for acceptance on the Manchester Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Manchester Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your panel status.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. It is also user friendly, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Manchester Building Society

Banks and building societies frequently vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Manchester 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, Manchester Building Society has made 43 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 63.5 days. In total, 17% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Manchester Building Society have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
3.1.4 01/12/2014 CML
details of the seller's solicitors or licensed conveyancers
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
6.14.1c 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance total sum insured calculation
6.14.3 01/12/2014 CML
notification of non-renewal/cancellation for buildings insurance policy
6.14.4 01/12/2014 CML
sending a copy of the buildings insurance policy and last premium
10.2a 25/01/2012 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
Do Manchester Building Society send the mortgage advance electronically or by cheque?
4.3 16/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Manchester Building Society for approved lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
4.1 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Manchester Building Society arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their conveyancing panel lawyers ?
4.3 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Manchester Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect

Last update 25/05/2019

Q and A’s regarding the Manchester Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public

I instructed a solicitor to work on my remortgage three weeks ago having applied for a mortgage with Manchester Building Society. The solicitors confirmed to me that they are on Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel and advised me their panel reference. Manchester Building Society then ,via my broker advised that their panel number was dormant and would need to be reactivated. What do I do from here? Do I instruct a different law firm currently on the conveyancing panel for Manchester 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 Manchester Building Society as to how long they think it will take to get the firm to get back on the panel.
Our solicitor has discovered a legal deficiency with the lease for the flat we are purchasing. The other side have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor says that as he is on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or Manchester Building Society?
The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and Manchester Building Society are the client. A precondition to being on the Manchester Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Manchester Building Society). The CML Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that Manchester Building Society can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Manchester Building Society approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Manchester Building Society solicitor panel.
I was supposed to move into my first house two days ago. My solicitor is on the Manchester Building Society solicitors panel but has changed address 8 weeks ago and had not advised Manchester Building Society of their new address. Manchester Building Society is now refusing to release my funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is a rare situation indeed. 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 Manchester Building Society branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can help.
In what circumstances might Manchester Building Society amend or withdraw their mortgage offer?
Lenders such as Manchester Building Society can revoke their mortgage offer although this is unusual. should Manchester Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to their reasoning. There are many potential reasons but here are a few examples:
  • Manchester Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer if the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor is unable to confirm compliance with any of the conditions of the mortgage offer or if any of the terms of the mortgage offer cannot be satisfied
  • Many mortgage offers have an expiry date. Your lawyer should check this. Manchester Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer before the end of its validation period if an offer extension is requested and following a re-evaluation of the property the value of the security is below a level which is acceptable to them.
  • If the financial circumstances of the borrower have changed to the detriment and the Manchester Building Society has been notified
  • Where the purchase price and borrowers direct contribution differ to details on the mortgage application form completed by the borrower
  • Where the lender is on notice of a restriction or a right of pre-emption which is not at market value
We were going to get a DIP from Manchester Building Society this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Manchester Building Society recommend a solicitor on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Manchester Building Society through the process.
I can not work out if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called into my local branch Manchester Building Society on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told not they would not lend in accordance with their CML Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I simply dont know who is right
Your lawyer has to follow the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for Manchester Building Society. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that Manchester Building Society will go ahead your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask Manchester Building Society to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.