Metro Bank Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Looking for information about your firm's panel status?

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and professional indemnity insures. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This software assists the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Metro Bank’s changes. Even though utilising the software is not a condition for acceptance on the Metro Bank panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Metro Bank’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your firm’s panel standing.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Metro Bank

Mortgage companies often vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Metro Bank 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, Metro Bank has made 180 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 15.2 days. In total, 56% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Metro Bank have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Frequently asked questions relating to the Metro Bank Solicitor Panel from members of the public

My Conveyancer is not listed on the Metro Bank Conveyancing Panel. Can I still retain my family solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the Metro Bank panel?
You will need to have a conveyancer complete the legal work required when you take out a Metro Bank mortgage to buy your property. They’ll carry out all the necessary legal checks on the property, make sure that you’re properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is in place. You can instruct a conveyancing firm of your choice. However, if the firm selected is not a member of the Metro Bank conveyancing panel additional costs will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by Metro Bank. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so if your conveyancer has not previously applied for membership they can do so.
My husband and I intend to remortgage our maisonette with Metro Bank. We have a son 19 who lives with us. The solicitor on the Metro Bank 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 concerns (1) Is this form unique to the Metro Bank conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we purchased 4 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 Metro Bank .This is solely used to protect the Metro Bank 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 Metro Bank 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.

Whilst your website is a good idea there are many lawyers listed near Manchester on the Metro Bank conveyancing panel. It would be a lot more helpful if you could recommend a specific firm on the Metro Bank approved panel?
We are not in the business of recommending one firm above another as the right firm for you depends on where your priorities lie. For example you may require a local firm with local knowledge or you might be looking for the low cost conveyancing. Before you appoint your lawyer we advise you to speak to two or three of the firms listed to gain comfort as to which one is right for you..
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the Metro Bank conveyancing panel in order to deal with redeeming my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Metro Bank conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. it might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently at the moment.
I have agreed a price on a house I spoke to a conveyancer recommended by my uncle and he recommended using a law firm approved by Metro Bank. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Metro Bank if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Metro Bank pointed out that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of Metro Bank 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Enquire of Metro Bank for conveyancing panel firms in your area. Most banks have lawyers on their panel throughout the UK. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Metro Bank conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto Metro Bank conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Metro Bank’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I have paid off my mortgage with Metro Bank. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the Metro Bank panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?
If you have finished paying off your Metro Bank mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Metro Bank mortgage from the register. Metro Bank,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage: but are not moving to another property where the Metro Bank has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and the Metro Bank has instructed the Land Registry to do so The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Metro Bank mortgage has been paid off.
I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in month 2010 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Metro Bank are being problematic. The solicitor who is on the Metro Bank conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Metro Bank are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Metro Bank have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Metro Bank have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Metro Bank may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.