Mortgage Agency Services 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. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This software assists the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on Mortgage Agency Services’s changes. While using this technology is not a condition for being 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, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel status.

The system 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 many firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Mortgage Agency Services

Banks and building societies often change 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, over time:

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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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
6.7.1 25/03/2018 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Mortgage Agency Services panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
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
6.14.1b 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance in joint names or lender interest noted
6.14.1c 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance total sum insured calculation
6.14.1d 01/12/2014 CML
maximum excess re building insurance
6.14.2 01/12/2014 CML
requirement that all insurance risks are included
6.14.4 01/12/2014 CML
sending a copy of the buildings insurance policy and last premium
3.1.5 01/12/2014 CML
ID Documentation
Mortgage Agency Services approved lawyers requirements re ID Documentation: Further acceptable documents (if any)
5.20.3 12/09/2012 CML
Panels PV Solar
Existence of additional requirements set by Mortgage Agency Services for conveyancing panel lawyers relating to leases of roof space for solar PV panels, and if so, what they are.

Last update 18/11/2019

FAQs : The Mortgage Agency Services Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor is not on the Mortgage Agency Services Solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal 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. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for Mortgage Agency Services.
My property lawyer is asking me for identification documents saying that this is part of his retainer as a solicitor on the Mortgage Agency Services Solicitor panel. This is news to me - can I refuse?
Due to Money Laundering Regulations your conveyancing lawyer is duty bound to confirm positively your identification when entering into a business relationship with you. It is a criminal offense if your lawyer not do this. If you do not provide ID early in the transaction the solicitor must refuse to act for you. It’s unlikely a lawyer will turn you away if you come to the first meeting without relevant ID but you will have to produce it at some point so you might as well bring it with you to the initial meeting so the lawyer can tick the ID verification box and start sorting out the conveyancing straight away. If you are getting a mortgage with Mortgage Agency Services your lawyer also has to check ID documents to satisfy Mortgage Agency Services
Are there any apps to help search for a local solicitor on the Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel up to 25 miles to meet the lawyer.
You can use the find a conveyancing panel tool 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 Mortgage Agency Services solicitor panel.
I am buying a semi-detached house and getting a mortgage with Mortgage Agency Services. Can I do my own conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Mortgage Agency Services 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 Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel in your location.
The mortgage over my property is with Mortgage Agency Services. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Mortgage Agency Services?
You must advise Mortgage Agency Services before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Mortgage Agency Services’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies 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 Mortgage Agency Services directly. You need not do this via a Mortgage Agency Services conveyancing panel solicitor.
My ex -wife’s name is on the Mortgage Agency Services mortgage of my property but not on the land registry. The apartment was transferred to me on our divorce many years ago by way of a sealed court order. Does my ex still have a say on the sale even though the land registry showing the property in my name alone? Will I be required to take her name of the Mortgage Agency Services mortgage in order to sell?
As regards the Mortgage Agency Services mortgage, it is unusual that your ex-wife’s name remains on the mortgage but not on the title. It is conceivable that this is an oversight on the part of your conveyancers to ensure that her name was removed or even an administrative error on the part of Mortgage Agency Services in failing to update their data. In any event, it should cause difficulty providing her name no longer appears on the Land Registry title and you have a court order ordering that the property is transferred to you.
Mortgage Agency Services have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on house has been accepted, now what?
The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (make sure these solicitors are on the lenders panel). Call up Mortgage Agency Services or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Mortgage Agency Services will tell you what documents they want. Mortgage Agency Services will instruct a valuer. The valuer will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about week to get a mortgage offer. Mortgage Agency Services will issue the offer to you and your lawyer. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing.