Mortgage Express Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system facilitates the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Mortgage Express’s changes. While using the tool is not a prerequisite for Mortgage Express , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Mortgage Express’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

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Banks and building societies often vary 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
16.5.2 16/06/2014 CML
Deed of Variation
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers for confirming proposed deed of variation or agreement will not adversely affect Mortgage Express
10.2a 01/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
Do Mortgage Express send the mortgage advance electronically or by cheque?
12.3.1 01/12/2010 CML
Instalment Mortgages
Do Mortgage Express have a specific contact point for their approved lawyer for release of retentions/mortgage advance instalments?
5.16.2 01/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing : Management Company
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers if unable to certify search entry on bankruptcy search does not relate to borrower.
6.12.1 01/12/2010 CML
Pre-emption Rights, Options and Pre-emption Rights
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers to used where Mortgage Express needs to be notified where property is affected by pre-emption rights, resale restrictions, options etc .
6.1.3 01/12/2010 CML
Mortgage offer not taken up
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers where for reporting purposes if borrower is not taking up the mortgage offer
6.14.2 01/12/2010 CML
requirement that all insurance risks are included
6.8.1 01/12/2010 CML
Roads and Sewers
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers if no agreement and bond for an unadopted road or sewer
Adoption of Road or Sewer Indemnity Insurance
6.6.1 03/12/2009 CML
contact point if property is let/to be let and to check lender requirements on buy-to-let
17.1.1 03/12/2009 CML
Redemption Statements
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers to request redemption statements .

Last update 06/11/2018

Examples of recent questions relating to the Mortgage Express (No 2) Solicitor Panel from members of the public

My property lawyer is not listed on the Mortgage Express (No 2) Conveyancing Panel. Is it possible for me to retain my preferred solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the Mortgage Express (No 2) list of approved lawyers?
You will need to have a conveyancer complete the legal work required when you take out a Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel additional costs will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by Mortgage Express (No 2). Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so if your conveyancer has not previously applied for membership they can do so.
My partner and I are refinancing our maisonette with Mortgage Express (No 2). We have a son 18 who lives with us. The solicitor on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel has asked us to disclose anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who lives in the flat. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the apartment is forfeited by the lender. I have a couple of concerns (1) Is this form unique to the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we remortgaged 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 Mortgage Express (No 2) .This is solely used to protect the Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Mortgage Express (No 2) 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.

I note that you have a search directory listing law firms on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I appoint them for my own conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I am buying a semi-detached house and getting a mortgage with Mortgage Express (No 2). How practical is it for me to do the conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Express (No 2) conveyancing panel in your location.
Do most lenders operate their own panel of solicitors?
Many lenders do operate a restricted conveyancing panel but a lot of lenders allow any solicitors to join their panel so long as they meet their criteria. Each lender sets their own criteria. For example the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel requirements are different to Mortgage Express (No 2)’s conveyancing panel requirements.
I'm in the process of looking at houses and am about to put in an offer. Should I already have a conveyancer appointed at this stage? I I am planning to take a home loan with Mortgage Express (No 2)
You should start obtaining conveyancing quotes from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the estate agent. As you are getting a mortgage with Mortgage Express (No 2) , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel.
Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Express (No 2) or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Mortgage Express (No 2) will tell you what documents they want. Mortgage Express (No 2) 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 Express (No 2) 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.