Saffron Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s 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 assists the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with automatic updates on Saffron Building Society’s changes. While using the tool is not a condition for acceptance on the Saffron Building Society panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Saffron Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory 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 Saffron Building Society

Banks and building societies frequently vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Saffron 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, Saffron Building Society has made 139 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 19.6 days. In total, 58% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Saffron 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
10.7 01/12/2014 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
In the event of a delayed completion, when and how is advance to be returned to Saffron Building Society by the approved lawyer?
4.1 01/12/2014 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Saffron Building Society arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their approved lawyers ?
5.15.2c 01/12/2014 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing : Management Company
Saffron Building Society approved lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : requirement as to whether a copy of the signed blank stock transfer form needs to be sent to them
5.5.1a 01/12/2014 CML
requirements in terms of time for planning consents
6.14.2 01/12/2014 CML
requirement that all insurance risks are included
6.7.2 01/12/2014 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Saffron Building Society approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : whether home warranty documentation should be sent to Saffron Building Society
8.1 01/12/2014 CML
Circumstances Requiring Independent Legal Advice
Saffron Building Society approved conveyancer requirements re circumstances requiring independent legal advice : Do Saffron Building Society allow a firm to advise any of the specified third parties
16.4.1 30/06/2014 CML
Consent to Let
Contact details at Saffron Building Society for consent to let.
6.14.1a 30/06/2014 CML
contact point if property is not insured in accordance with lender requirement
6.3.1 30/06/2014 CML
Purchase Price
Contact details at Saffron Building Society for approved lawyers to used where there are any issues relating to purchase price.

Last update 14/09/2019

FAQs : The Saffron Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public

My Conveyancer is not listed on the Saffron Building Society Conveyancing Panel. Is it possible for me to retain my preferred solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the Saffron Building Society panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?
You will need to have a conveyancer complete the legal work required when you take out a Saffron Building Society 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 Saffron Building Society conveyancing panel additional costs will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by Saffron Building Society. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so if your conveyancer has not previously applied for membership they can do so.
My lawyer is asking me for identification documents asserting that this forms part of his legal duty as a conveyancer on the Saffron Building Society Conveyancing panel. Am I being spun a yarn?
Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Client Care letter that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that Saffron Building Society also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with Saffron Building Society CML Handbook requirements last updated on Saffron Building Society
Do all the licensed conveyancers and solicitor practices listed on your search have online case tracking as I understood that this was a condition of being on the Saffron Building Society solicitor panel?
No. There is no CML Part 2 or Building Society Association requirement relating to online case tracking. Some law firms operate such technology and some don't.
I am trying to get my former partner taken off the mortgage deeds. Can Saffron Building Society really tell me which solicitor I can or can not instruct?
You can use any solicitor you like but Saffron Building Society then has the right to appoint a different solicitor to act for them at your expense. It might be more cost effective and quicker to instruct a lawyer who is on the Saffron Building Society solicitors panel
We expect to receive a DIP from Saffron Building Society this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc).Do the Saffron Building Society recommend a solicitor on the Saffron Building Society conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer
You will need to appoint solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Saffron Building Society conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and the Saffron Building Society through the process.
Intending to buy a house with a mortgage with Saffron Building Society. I have received an online quote from a licensed conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Saffron Building Society conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.
They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that they are on the Saffron Building Society conveyancing panel
I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Saffron Building Society. Is it usual for Saffron Building Society to only issue the offer once my solicitor is approved on their conveyancing panel?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Saffron Building Society to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Saffron Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.