Mortgage Express Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. It is a unique risk management tool.

This software optimises the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Mortgage Express’s changes. Even though utilising the tool is not a prerequisite for Mortgage Express , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Mortgage Express’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Mortgage Express

Lenders frequently 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
17.2.1a 12/04/2018 CML
Redemption Payments
Where do solicitors and conveyancers send the discharge and repayment remittance in relation to Mortgage Express mortgages ?
17.1.1 21/11/2016 CML
Redemption Statements
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers to request redemption statements .
5.5.1a 01/12/2014 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
6.14.1d 01/12/2014 CML
maximum excess re building insurance
16.4.1 30/06/2014 CML
Consent to Let
Contact details at Mortgage Express for consent to let.
4.1 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Mortgage Express arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their conveyancing panel lawyers ?
5.5.3a 01/12/2010 CML
Planning Permission and Building Regulations : Breaches
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers where there evidence of breach and all outstanding conditions will not be satisfied by completion
Lack of Planning Permission Indemnity Insurance
6.2.1 01/12/2010 CML
Property Description
Contact details at Mortgage Express for conveyancing panel lawyers to used where there are any discrepancies in property's description.
6.4.5 01/12/2010 CML
Full monies through the firm's account
Contact details at Mortgage Express for approved lawyers were the law firm will not have control over the payment of all the purchase money.
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.

Last update 18/09/2019

Common questions asked concerning the Mortgage Express (No 2) Solicitor Panel from members of the public

My financial adviser has asked me for my solicitor’s panel member for the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing panel. What is the best way to find this out. I have contacted my local Mortgage Express (No 2) office but they have not responded to me.
Have you tried speaking to your lawyer about this?. They should have a central record lender panel numbers including the Mortgage Express (No 2) panel reference.
We are approaching 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). I am advised that, 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 not just from me. I advised the bank about my parent’s contribution when I applied for the home loan so is it really necessary for him to raise this?
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.
I am looking to buy a flat and need a conveyancing solicitor in Leeds who is on the Mortgage Express (No 2) conveyancing. Can you recommend a local solicitor?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Mortgage Express (No 2) . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
My house is up for sale and I have a buyer. 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 lenders such as Mortgage Express (No 2) do solicitors 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.
Can you point me to a directory of Mortgage Express (No 2) panel solicitors on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
It is not clear whether my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called into my local branch 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.