Sainsbury's Bank Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for residential conveyancing lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers such as AmTrust. COMPLETIONmonitor is a unique risk management tool.

This software assists the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with notifications given on Sainsbury's Bank’s changes. Even though using COMPLETIONmonitor is not a prerequisite for Sainsbury's Bank , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Sainsbury's Bank’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, more importantly, protect your firm’s panel status.

The software creates 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 some firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Sainsbury's Bank

Banks and building societies often vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Sainsbury's Bank 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, Sainsbury's Bank has made 121 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 22.6 days. In total, 57% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Sainsbury's Bank have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Common questions asked concerning the Sainsburys Bank Solicitor Panel from members of the public

My husband and I are buying a 3 bedroom apartment in Hackney with a mortgage from Sainsburys Bank. We would like to retain our solicitor but Sainsburys Bank says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct one of the Sainsburys Bank panel solicitors or keep our solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Sainsburys Bank use our lawyer?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Sainsburys Bank
We are nearing an exchange and my parents having sent the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has not come from me my lawyer needs to disclose this to my lender Sainsburys Bank. Apparently, being on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel and acting on their behalf he must inform Sainsburys Bank 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 this now to be an issue?
Your lawyer is obliged to check with Sainsburys Bank 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 Sainsburys Bank if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.
I am buying a flat and need a conveyancing solicitor in Manchester who is on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing. Can you recommend a local conveyancing firm?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Sainsburys Bank . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
I was due to move into my dream home last Thursday. My lawyer’s firm is on the Sainsburys Bank solicitors panel but has changed address in the past couple of months and had not advised Sainsburys Bank of their new address. Sainsburys Bank has locked down the release of mortgage funds until such time as their systems are up to date with the correct details.
This is a rare situation indeed. The majority of 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 Sainsburys Bank branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can assist.
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 Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel requirements are different to Sainsburys Bank’s conveyancing panel requirements.
I currently have a mortgage with with Sainsburys Bank. 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 Sainsburys Bank?
You must advise Sainsburys Bank before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Sainsburys Bank’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Sainsburys Bank will allow you to rent 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 Sainsburys Bank directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel firm.
I have instructed a lawyer having made sure that they are on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or Having read lots of mortgage guides,I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Sainsburys Bank will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Sainsburys Bank will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller. or Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Sainsburys Bank you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.