Mortgage Express Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers such as AmTrust. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This software is the only way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Mortgage Express’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for acceptance on the Mortgage Express panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Mortgage Express’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, protect your panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will enhance 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 Express

Mortgage companies often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Mortgage Express 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 Express has made 138 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 19.8 days. In total, 35% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Mortgage Express have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
10.7 01/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
In the event of a delayed completion, when and how is advance to be returned to Mortgage Express by the approved lawyer?
10.9 01/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
Do Mortgage Express have a specific contact point if completion is delayed for their conveyancing panel?
1.11b 01/12/2010 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers to where standard mortgage documentation is inappropriate
4.5a 01/12/2010 CML
Mortagge valuation - Reinspections
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers where re-inspection required
5.13.1 01/12/2010 CML
Balance of Monies
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers where borrower is not providing balance of purchase price from funds/proposing to give second charge.
Insolvency Act Indemnity Insurance Deed of Gift Indemnity Insurance
5.14.10 01/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Mortgage Express panel lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : contact for service charge matters
5.1.1 01/12/2010 CML
Properties owned for less than 6 months
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers where there is a restriction on use.
6.14.1a 01/12/2010 CML
contact point if property is not insured in accordance with lender requirement
6.6.2 01/12/2010 CML
Buy to Let Conveyancing
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers when law firm does not have details of current letting or letting to take place at completion.
6.6.4 01/12/2010 CML
Houses in Multipe Occupation
Mortgage Express approved conveyancer requirements where the property comes within the definition of a house in multiple occupation

Last update 20/05/2019

Mortgage Express (No 2) Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public

We are purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in London with a mortgage from Mortgage Express (No 2). We like our lawyer but Mortgage Express (No 2) says he's not on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct one of the Mortgage Express (No 2) panel firms or keep our solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Mortgage Express (No 2)
We are nearing an exchange and my parents having transferred the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to make a notification to my lender Mortgage Express (No 2). Apparently, being on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Mortgage Express (No 2) if the balance of the mortgage advance is coming from anyone other than me. I informed the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the home loan so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Mortgage Express (No 2) to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to Mortgage Express (No 2) if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
Having used 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.
I am selling my house. Does my solicitor have to be on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Mortgage Express (No 2) 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.
When it comes to mortgage companies such as Mortgage Express (No 2) do lawyers have to be pay a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?
We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their panel although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.
It is not clear whether my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called Mortgage Express (No 2) on numerous occasions and told it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) 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?
As long as the conveyancer is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) panel she or he must comply with the CML Handbook requirements for Mortgage Express (No 2). Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Express (No 2) to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.
I have instructed a lawyer having checked that they are on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or I've digested plenty of mortgage guides,I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Mortgage Express (No 2) will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Mortgage Express (No 2) will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Mortgage Express (No 2) you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.