National Counties Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system facilitates the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with alerts on National Counties Building Society’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising COMPLETIONmonitor is not a condition for being on the National Counties Building Society panel, demonstrating you can stay up to date with National Counties Building Society’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, just as importantly, safeguard your panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Book a National Counties Building Society Panel Compliance Demo

Banks and building societies often 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 134 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 20.4 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,

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
16.4.1 21/03/2016 CML
Consent to Let
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for consent to let.
16.5.3d 21/03/2016 CML
Option Agreements
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for approved lawyers to send option agreements .
3.1.4 01/12/2014 CML
details of the seller's solicitors or licensed conveyancers
3.1.3 01/12/2014 CML
Conveyancing Solicitors Details for Sellers
Do National Counties Building Society require notification form their approved lawyer of the name and address of the solicitors firm or licensed conveyancers firm acting for the seller?
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
16.5.3d 15/09/2014 CML
Option Agreements
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for approved lawyers to send option agreements .
3.2.4 15/09/2014 CML
Sellers not having Legal Representation
Contact details at National Counties Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers to used where National Counties Building Society needs to be notified when the seller does not have legal representation.
5.4.6 15/09/2014 CML
Conveyancing Searches: Search Insurance
National Counties Building Society approved lawyers clarification as to whether they accept search insurance and, if yes, the National Counties Building Society requirements
Local Search Indemnity Insurance
5.5.1a 15/09/2014 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
5.5.1b 15/09/2014 CML
conveyancing requirements in terms of time for building regulation consents

Last update 08/11/2018

National Counties Building Society Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public

I need to swap lawyers as my lawyer is not on the National Counties Building Society panel of conveyancing solicitors. How easy is it to change conveyancer?
If you haven't yet instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer you're considering.
I am buying a newly built flat and my solicitor is advising me that she has to disclose incentives from the developer as her practice is on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel. The Estate Agents are hassling me to exchange and I would rather not delay deal. is my lawyer taking the correct approach?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition 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). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the National Counties Building Society 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 National Counties Building Society 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 National Counties Building Society solicitor panel.
What happens if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the National Counties Building Society Conveyancing panel prior to the completion date?
The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. 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 at a cost.
We have had an offer accepted on a house I spoke to a lawyer recommended by my uncle and he suggested instructing a solicitor approved by National Counties Building Society. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked National Counties Building Society if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. National Counties Building Society pointed out that either firm can fill out the appropriate forms to become approved. Do I (1) save myself the aggravation and use one of National Counties Building Society 's conveyancing panel solicitors (2) Use the local solicitor and accept there may be delays etc as they go through the approval process.
Enquire of National Counties Building Society to suggest a law firm in your location. Most banks have lawyers on their panel throughout the UK. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel based on location. If you particularly like the sound of one of the local lawyers that you have spoken to ask them if they would go onto National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet National Counties Building Society’s requirements it can be a very simple job for the solicitor. Other stuff will be going on in parallel (as you are at an early stage) so it may not delay matters.
I'm at the point of viewing houses and am about to put in an offer. Should I already have a conveyancer appointed at this stage? I intend to finance via a home loan with National Counties Building Society
It would be sensible to have your start your search soon rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on the the EA. As you are getting a mortgage with National Counties Building Society , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel.
I can not work out if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension . I have called National Counties Building Society on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they would lend. My solicitor - who is on the National Counties Building Society 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 National Counties Building Society panel she or he must comply with the CML Handbook requirements for National Counties Building Society. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that National Counties Building Society 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 National Counties Building Society to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.