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Mortgage Express (No 2) Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Looking for information about your firm's panel status?

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How can my firm apply to be on the Mortgage Express (No 2) Conveyancing Panel?
Check your firm’s panel Status
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How can my firm be reinstated onto the Mortgage Express (No 2) Conveyancing Panel?
Check your firm’s panel Status

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. It is supported by PI insurers. It is a unique risk mitigation 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 Mortgage Express (No 2)’s changes. While utilising this technology is not a prerequisite for Mortgage Express (No 2) , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Mortgage Express (No 2)’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Mortgage Express (No 2)

Banks and building societies often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Express (No 2) has made 491 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the UK Finance Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 5.6 days. In total, 8% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Mortgage Express (No 2) have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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FAQs : The Mortgage Express (No 2) Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

On what basis would a firm of solicitors be excluded from the Mortgage Express (No 2) approved conveyancing panel?
A survey recently commissioned by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority found that three quarters of solicitor practices 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 Express (No 2)
Expecting to move into my new home next Tuesday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as as he informs me that he is duty bound to validate that it is in order for Mortgage Express (No 2). What risks do Mortgage Express (No 2) expect the insurance to cover?
All property lawyers on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in Mortgage Express (No 2)’s Part 2 requirements of the CML Handbook (last updated on Mortgage Express (No 2)). Being on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel your lawyer is expect to follow these requirements.
I have checked your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Mortgage Express (No 2) approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Mortgage Express (No 2) solicitor panel.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Mortgage Express (No 2) Solicitor panel in advance of the completion date?
The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have ti instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by the regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.
In what circumstances might Mortgage Express (No 2) amend or withdraw their mortgage offer?
Banks and Building Societies such as Mortgage Express (No 2) can revoke their mortgage offer although this rarely happens. If Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 5 examples:
  • Mortgage Express (No 2) may amend or withdraw an offer if the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel solicitor is unable to confirm compliance with any of the conditions of the mortgage offer or if any of the terms of the mortgage offer cannot be satisfied
  • Many mortgage offers have an expiry date. Your lawyer should check this. Mortgage Express (No 2) 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.
  • 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 lender is on notice of a restriction or a right of pre-emption which is not at market value
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat. I have a mortgage agreed with Mortgage Express (No 2). Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event if you are getting a mortgage with Mortgage Express (No 2) you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel.
Planning on purchasing a flat with a mortgage with Mortgage Express (No 2). I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel