Scottish Building Society Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

COMPLETIONmonitor is web-based pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers. It is a unique risk mitigation tool.

This system assists the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their instructions, with notifications given on Scottish Building Society’s changes. Even though using this technology is not a prerequisite for Scottish Building Society , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Scottish Building Society’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, more importantly, protect your firm’s panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor generates real-time alerts, automatically produces compliance and CQS reports, and will enhance your firm's efficiency. It is also simply to use, cost-effective and, for some firms, results in a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by Scottish Building Society

Banks and building societies often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Scottish Building Society 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, Scottish Building Society has made 288 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 9.5 days. In total, 90% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Scottish 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
6.14.3 01/12/2014 CML
notification of non-renewal/cancellation for buildings insurance policy
1.11a 02/12/2010 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Contact details at Scottish Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers to obtain mortgage documentation
16.3.7b 02/12/2010 CML
Transfer of Equity
Scottish Building Society guidance to approved lawyers for form of attestation clause for Transfer of Equity
5.4.6 02/12/2010 CML
Conveyancing Searches: Search Insurance
Scottish Building Society panel lawyers clarification as to whether they accept search insurance and, if yes, the Scottish Building Society requirements
Local Search Indemnity Insurance
5.5.3a 02/12/2010 CML
Planning Permission and Building Regulations : Breaches
Contact details at Scottish Building Society for approved lawyers where there evidence of breach and all outstanding conditions will not be satisfied by completion
Lack of Planning Permission Indemnity Insurance
6.6.3 02/12/2010 CML
Buy to Let Conveyancing
Scottish Building Society panel lawyers requirements concerning receiving counterpart/certified copy tenancy agreements
6.7.4 02/12/2010 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Scottish Building Society approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : will the Scottish Building Society proceed if the property does not have the benefit of a new home warranty scheme
7.4 02/12/2010 CML
Occupiers at the Property
Contact details at Scottish Building Society for approved conveyancers if doubts about accuracy of information concerning occupation of the property
8.1 02/12/2010 CML
Circumstances Requiring Independent Legal Advice
Scottish Building Society panel conveyancer requirements re circumstances requiring independent legal advice : Do Scottish Building Society allow a firm to advise any of the specified third parties
1.14 17/06/2009 CML
General Mortgage Instructions
Can the panel conveyancing firm act for Scottish Building Society if the person dealing with the conveyancing or a member of his immediate family is the seller?

Last update 17/11/2019

FAQs for the Scottish Building Society Solicitor Panel from members of the public

On what basis would a firm of solicitors be removed from the Scottish Building Society approved conveyancing panel?
A survey recently commissioned by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority found that three quarters of law firms had been excluded from a lender panel. The most common reasons in order are :
  1. lack 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 Scottish Building Society
Expecting to move into my new home next Tuesday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in has capacity as lawyer for Scottish Building Society. What risks do Scottish Building Society expect the insurance to cover?
Any lawyer on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in Scottish Building Society’s Part 2 requirements of the CML Handbook (last updated on Scottish Building Society). Being on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel your lawyer is expect to follow these requirements.
I note that you have a search directory listing firms on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I retain them for my conveyancing?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Scottish Building Society Solicitor panel before the moving date as agreed at exchange of contracts?
The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. 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 for a fee.
How can we tell if a solicitor on the Scottish Building Society panel is any good?
obtaining recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advocate that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your transaction
Do the majority of banks 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 Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel requirements are different to Scottish Building Society’s conveyancing panel criteria.
I have instructed a lawyer having checked that they are on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property? Or I've read lots of house buying,I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my solicitor - who is on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?
Scottish Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Scottish Building Society 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 Scottish Building Society you could contact your them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors.