National Counties Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This system optimises the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on National Counties Building Society’s changes. While utilising COMPLETIONmonitor is not a prerequisite for National Counties Building Society , demonstrating you can stay up to date with National Counties Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, just as importantly, protect your firm’s panel status.

The software generates real-time alerts, automatically produces COLP and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by National Counties Building Society

Banks and building societies frequently change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from National Counties Building Society 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, National Counties Building Society has made 137 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 19.9 days. In total, 44% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for National Counties Building Society have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

Book a Personalised Demo

Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
6.7.4 01/08/2017 CML
New Build Conveyancing
National Counties Building Society panel conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : will the National Counties Building Society proceed if the property does not have the benefit of a new home warranty scheme
8.1 01/08/2017 CML
Circumstances Requiring Independent Legal Advice
National Counties Building Society approved conveyancer requirements re circumstances requiring independent legal advice : Do National Counties Building Society allow a firm to advise any of the specified third parties
14.2.1 08/12/2016 CML
Post Completion Conveyancing
Where should conveyancing panelfor National Counties Building Society send the title deeds and documents following completion?
10.9 15/09/2014 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
Do National Counties Building Society have a specific contact point if completion is delayed for their conveyancing panel?
16.3.4 15/09/2014 CML
Transfer of Equity
National Counties Building Society requirements for conveyancing panel lawyers as to whether National Counties Building Society need to be sent the Transfer of Equity
17.2.1a 15/09/2014 CML
Redemption Payments
Where do solicitors and conveyancers send the discharge and repayment remittance in relation to National Counties Building Society mortgages ?
3.2.4 15/09/2014 CML
Sellers not having Legal Representation
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for approved lawyers to used where National Counties Building Society needs to be notified when the seller does not have legal representation.
4.3 15/09/2014 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
4.5b 15/09/2014 CML
Certificates of Title
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for conveyancing panel/approved lawyers where COT should be sent
7.4 15/09/2014 CML
Occupiers at the Property
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for conveyancing panel conveyancers if doubts about accuracy of information concerning occupation of the property

Last update 20/09/2019

National Counties Building Society Conveyancing Panel : Questions and Answers from members of the public

On what basis would a law firm be excluded from the National Counties Building Society solicitor panel?
A survey recently commissioned by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority found that three quarters of law firms had been removed from a lender panel. The most common reasons in order are :
  1. Low volume 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 National Counties Building Society
Can you clarify something for me?. For no fault of my lawyer but, the conveyancing for my house purchase has been going on for months. The Local Authority Search from National Counties Building Society was dated random date and we have agreed a date for me to move into the property on 6 months + 3. My solicitor says that as she is on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel she needs to reorder the searches as they are no longer acceptable to the lender.
One of the many conditions to being on the National Counties Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on National Counties Building Society)which states that a local authority search be not more than half a year old. You should nevertheless ask your lawyer to check whether something called ‘search validation’ indemnity insurance is acceptable to National Counties Building Society.
I am searching for competitive conveyancing fees. Can I be sure that all the firms that are identified on your website are on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel?
The solicitor and licensed conveyancing practices on our directory have assured us via an online form that they are on the National Counties Building Society panel and agreed to advise us to take down their listing in the event of removal off of the National Counties Building Society panel. To date we have not been informed by either a bank or a member of the public that the data about a specific firm being on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel is not accurate.
I was scheduled to move into my first house yesterday. My lawyer’s firm is on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel but has moved offices in the past couple of months and had not informed National Counties Building Society of their new address. National Counties Building Society is now refusing to release my funds until such time as their systems are up to date with the correct details.
This is a rare situation indeed. Most lender Terms of Conveyancing Panel Appointment specifically oblige the solicitor to inform the lender of an address change. Your solicitor needs to treat this with the utmost urgency. Do speak with or register your concern with the senior partner (assuming he or she is not your direct lawyer). Most lenders would be reasonable in this situation and expedite the resolution of this issue. It may be prudent to enlist the help of your local National Counties Building Society branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can assist.
Is there a list of National Counties Building Society panel conveyancers on the CML Handbook 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.
I have a mortgage with National Counties Building Society. Conveyancing was finalised months ago. Should I wish 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 National Counties Building Society?
You must advise National Counties Building Society in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of National Counties Building Society’s mortgage conditions. It may be that National Counties Building Society will permit you to let 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 National Counties Building Society directly. You need not do this via a National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel firm.
National Counties Building Society 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 National Counties Building Society or your broker and complete any relevant paperwork. National Counties Building Society will tell you what documents they want. National Counties Building Society 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. National Counties Building Society 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.