Manchester Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

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

This system is the only way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with alerts on Manchester Building Society’s changes. While using the software is not a prerequisite for Manchester Building Society , demonstrating you can remain up to date with Manchester Building Society’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel status.

The system generates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. It is also user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Manchester Building Society

Banks and building societies frequently change 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.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

Book a Personalised Demo

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

My fiance and I are first time buyers. Within the 48 hours our solicitor has forwarded the sale agreement to sign with a detailed report in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Manchester Building Society have this afternoon contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?
If you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser's solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender.

In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyers should contact Manchester Building Society and see if they can apply for membership of the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable Manchester Building Society will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.

My lawyer has discovered a difference between the surveyor’s assumptions in Manchester Building Society’s valuation report and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor has advised that as he is on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel he must check that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my lawyer’s course or action right?
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) which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
I am planning to acquire a house and require a conveyancing solicitor in Birmingham who is on the Manchester Building Society approved. Can you recommend a local solicitor?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Manchester Building Society . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
I am purchasing a new build flat and getting a mortgage with Manchester Building Society. Can I do my own conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to made in you doing to conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel in your location.
I was thinking of purchasing my friend’s property. Assuming we can agree a figure, what’s the best way to proceed? I hope to get a mortgage with Manchester Building Society. Is it possible to avoid using solicitors to save us both money? My father said that years ago it was possible to take the documents into the local Land Registry office and they did the rest
If you are getting a mortgage with Manchester Building Society involved you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Manchester 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 Manchester Building Society. Feel free to use our search tool to look for a licensed conveyancer or solicitor on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel.
Is it common for Manchester Building Society to withdraw a mortgage offer and what would be the reasoning?
Lenders such as Manchester Building Society can withdraw their mortgage offer although this is unusual. If Manchester Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are many potential reasons but here are a number of examples:
  • 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 borrower informs Manchester Building Society of a change in the loan amount agreed
  • Situations where information provided by the borrower that enabled the lender to make a lending decision is fraudulent, incorrect or misleading.
  • If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
  • If the solicitor on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel acting for the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor cannot comply with Manchester Building Society ‘s instructions
Can I register a complaint to Manchester Building Society about the lawyers being on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel?
There is little point in complaining directly to Manchester Building Society. Every solicitor firm and conveyancer must have a complaints procedure. You can get information from the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s website or ask at their office. They must tell you about it if you ask.

The Legal Ombudsman will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the solicitor. It can also advise you how to complain.

If a licensed conveyancer does not have a complaints procedure or will not tell you about it, contact the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will make sure that your complaint is properly dealt with by the conveyancer. Please see below for more information.