Manchester Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers such as AmTrust. It 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 instructions, with automatic updates on Manchester Building Society’s changes. Even though using the software is not a condition for being on the Manchester Building Society panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Manchester Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, protect your panel status.

The system creates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Manchester Building Society

Banks and building societies often 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.

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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
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
6.14.3 01/12/2014 CML
notification of non-renewal/cancellation for buildings insurance policy
3.1.3 01/12/2014 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Do Manchester Building Society require notification form their approved lawyer of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?
14.2.2 16/12/2010 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Which documents should approved lawyersfor Manchester Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
17.2.1b 16/12/2010 CML
Evidence of Discharge of Mortgage
Do Manchester Building Society send the discharge via a DS 1 form or direct with the Land Registry?
4.5a 16/12/2010 CML
Mortagge valuation - Reinspections
Contact details at Manchester Building Society for approved lawyers where re-inspection required
16.3.4 01/12/2010 CML
Transfer of Equity
Manchester Building Society requirements for approved lawyers as to whether Manchester Building Society need to be sent the Transfer of Equity
6.4.4 01/12/2010 CML
Disclosing Incentives
Manchester Building Society panel lawyers additional requirements concerning reporting incentives

Last update 09/07/2019

Manchester Building Society Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public

My mortgage broker has has requested my law firm’s panel reference for the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel. What is the best way to find this out. I have called my local Manchester Building Society branch but they have not responded to me.
the sensible thing to do is ask for this information from your solicitor. A law firm is likely to keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable their conveyancing panel details for Manchester Building Society.
My husband and I are refinancing our penthouse with Manchester Building Society. We have a son 18 who lives with us. The solicitor on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel has asked us to disclose anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who reside at the property. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, waiving any legal rights in the event that the apartment is repossessed. I have two questions (1) Is this document specific to the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we purchased 5 years ago (2) Does our son by signing this giving up his rights to inherit the property?
On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Manchester Building Society .This is solely used to protect the Manchester Building Society if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave.

It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Manchester Building Society had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

How do I find a local solicitor on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 25 miles to meet the lawyer.
Feel free to make use of the find a conveyancing panel search on this page. Please choose the lender and your location and you will see a number of lawyer located nearest you. Alternatively you can type in the name of your proposed law firm and see if they are listed as being on the Manchester Building Society solicitor panel.
My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor was left the property. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £4500. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Manchester Building Society , pay off the mortgage etc. Is this possible?
If you intend to re-mortgage then Manchester Building Society will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Manchester Building Society mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.
Is the case that all CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors on the Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel?
It is true that some lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their panels.
We have agreed to purchase a house.One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Manchester Building Society have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
As your lender is Manchester Building Society your lawyer must to check the Manchester Building Society conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for Manchester Building Society . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Manchester Building Society where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. Requirements for Scotland are due in the near future.
The mortgage over my property is with Manchester Building Society. Conveyancing was finalised months ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Manchester Building Society?
You must advise Manchester Building Society in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Manchester Building Society’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Manchester Building Society will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Manchester Building Society directly. You need not do this via a Manchester Building Society conveyancing panel firm.