Mortgage Agency Services 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. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This software assists the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Mortgage Agency Services’s changes. Notwithstanding that using COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for acceptance on the Mortgage Agency Services panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with Mortgage Agency Services’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, just as importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for some firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Mortgage Agency Services

Banks and building societies frequently vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Mortgage Agency Services 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, Mortgage Agency Services has made 27 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 101.1 days. In total, 10% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Mortgage Agency Services have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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Mortgage Agency Services Conveyancing Panel Example Support Desk Enquires from members of the public

For what reasons would a firm of solicitors be excluded from the Mortgage Agency Services approved conveyancing panel?
According to a recent survey report by the solicitors regulator three quarters of law firms had been excluded from a lender panel. The top reasons in order are :
  1. lack of transactions
  2. the lawyer is a sole practitioner
  3. as part of the HSBC panel reduction
  4. regulatory contact by SRA
  5. accidental removal. We are not aware of the specific or common criteria for removal by Mortgage Agency Services
We are due to exchange on the purchase a house but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have agreed compensation from the seller of £3k approx by way of a reduction in the price. This was going to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process but my mortgage company Mortgage Agency Services will not agree to this. Why was Mortgage Agency Services even consulted?
Your lawyer being on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel is duty bound to inform Mortgage Agency Services of any changes to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your lawyers to disclose the reduction to Mortgage Agency Services then they would have to discontinue acting for you and Mortgage Agency Services.
Do all mortgage companies provide you with an approved list of solicitors? How do you know who is on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel?
The law firm practices themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Mortgage Agency Services directly.
We're in London, FTBs buying with a mortgage (lender is Mortgage Agency Services , but our lawyer is on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a time-frame for your conveyancing due to third parties outside of our control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain
What are the common reasons for a lender such as Mortgage Agency Services to withdraw a mortgage offer?
Banks and Building Societies such as Mortgage Agency Services can revoke their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. If Mortgage Agency Services withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to the reasons why. There are various possible reasons but here are a few examples:
  • Where information comes to Mortgage Agency Services ‘s attention regarding the customers or the security that they were not aware of prior to offer that affects their original decision to lend
  • If the borrower informs Mortgage Agency Services of a change in the loan amount agreed
  • A cashback to the buyer, or | part of the price includes a non-cash incentive to the buyer (eg paid stamp duty land tax),or | any indirect incentive (cash or non cash) or rental guarantee, of which the lender was previously unaware
  • Situations where information provided by the borrower that enabled the lender to make a lending decision is fraudulent, incorrect or misleading.
  • Where the sale is not at arms length for value to unconnected persons
I can not work out if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called into my local branch Mortgage Agency Services on various occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told not they would not lend in accordance with their CML Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?
Your lawyer has to follow the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for Mortgage Agency Services. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that Mortgage Agency Services 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 Mortgage Agency Services to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.
I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in month 6 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, Mortgage Agency Services are being difficult. The solicitor who is on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Mortgage Agency Services are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Mortgage Agency Services have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that Mortgage Agency Services have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Mortgage Agency Services 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.