Sainsbury's Bank Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the Council of Mortgage Lenders and PI insurers. It is a unique risk management tool.

This software assists the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Sainsbury's Bank’s changes. Even though utilising this technology is not a condition for acceptance on the Sainsbury's Bank panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Sainsbury's Bank’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

The system creates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. In addition it is simply to use, cost-effective and, for many firms, results in reduced PII premiums.

Find a Law Firm approved by Sainsbury's Bank

Lenders frequently 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, over time:

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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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
6.6.4 20/05/2019 CML
Houses in Multipe Occupation
Sainsburys Bank panel conveyancer requirements where the property comes within the definition of a house in multiple occupation
1.11b 31/05/2017 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Sainsburys Bank for conveyancing panel lawyers to where standard mortgage documentation is inappropriate
16.4.1 31/05/2017 CML
Consent to Let
Contact details at Sainsburys Bank for consent to let.
16.5.3a 31/05/2017 CML
Deed of Variation
Sainsburys Bank requirements for conveyancing panel lawyers as to whether Sainsburys Bank need to be sent a Deed of Variation
3.2.4 31/05/2017 CML
Sellers not having Legal Representation
Contact details at Sainsburys Bank for approved lawyers to used where Sainsburys Bank needs to be notified when the seller does not have legal representation.
4.1 31/05/2017 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Sainsburys Bank arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their conveyancing panel lawyers ?
5.14.15b 31/05/2017 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Sainsburys Bank approved lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : acceptability of indemnity insurance where the terms of the lease are unsatisfactory
Absentee Landlord Indemnity Insurance
5.15.2d 31/05/2017 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing : Management Company
Sainsburys Bank approved lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : requirement as to whether a copy of the management company's memorandum and articles of association needs to be sent to them
5.8.1 31/05/2017 CML
Freehold and leasehold owner of multiple flats
Sainsburys Bank approved lawyers clarification as to whether they accept security which comprises a building converted into not more than four flats where the borrower occupies one of those flats and the borrower or another flat owner also owns the freehold of the building and the other flats are subject to long leases?
7.4 31/05/2017 CML
Occupiers at the Property
Contact details at Sainsburys Bank for conveyancing panel conveyancers if doubts about accuracy of information concerning occupation of the property

Last update 16/08/2019

Q and A’s regarding the Sainsburys Bank Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

I would like to know the reason why all property lawyers are not on the Sainsburys Bank Solicitor panel?
Pre- 2008 most lenders had an appetite for risk which was higher than today. The Financial Services Authority in 2010 conducted a thematic review into mortgage fraud which concluded: know the conveyancing solicitors that you are dealing with. Consequently, lenders have regularly sought more information from law firms about their operations and the individuals who work for them and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many firms that have been excluded from lender panels have 100% healthy track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Such firms were never going to meet the criteria of volume of transactions the lenders required.
Our solicitor has identified a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are buying. The other side have suggested title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that as he is on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is Sainsburys Bank?
Just because you have a mortgage offer from Sainsburys Bank does not mean to say that the property will be meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the CML Handbook Requirements. You and Sainsburys Bank are the client. The appropriate lender requirements must be adhered to by the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel who has to balance acting for you and Sainsburys Bank
I note that you have a search directory listing firms on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for my conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
I am purchasing a terraced house and getting a mortgage with Sainsburys Bank. How practical is it for me to do the conveyancing?
Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing you will have to appoint a solicitor on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to made in you doing to conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel in your location.
Are all solicitor firms on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?
As solicitors, in order to be on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many lenders do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
I have today made my last payment due on mortgage with Sainsburys Bank. I assume I don't need a solicitor on the Sainsburys Bank panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm
If you have finished paying off your Sainsburys Bank mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Sainsburys Bank mortgage from the register. Sainsburys Bank,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage: but are not moving to another property where the Sainsburys Bank has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and the Sainsburys Bank has instructed the Land Registry to do so The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Sainsburys Bank mortgage has been paid off.
After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house. My financial adviser suggested a solicitor I paid an upfront payment of 175. Soon after the conveyancers contacted me to say that they were not on the Sainsburys Bank conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Sainsburys Bank panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.