Scottish 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 mitigation tool.

This software facilitates the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can remain fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Scottish Building Society’s changes. While using the software is not a condition for being on the Scottish Building Society panel, demonstrating you can remain up to date with Scottish Building Society’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your panel application and, more importantly, protect your firm’s panel status.

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

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Mortgage companies frequently 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 272 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 10.0 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.

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
10.2a 02/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
Do Scottish Building Society send the mortgage advance electronically or by cheque?
12.3.1 02/12/2010 CML
Instalment Mortgages
Do Scottish Building Society have a specific contact point for their conveyancing panel for release of retentions/mortgage advance instalments?
17.2.1a 02/12/2010 CML
Redemption Payments
Where do solicitors and conveyancers send the discharge and repayment remittance in relation to Scottish Building Society mortgages ?
4.3 02/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Contact details at Scottish Building Society for conveyancing panel lawyers where assumptions stated by the valuer are incorrect
5.14.13 02/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Scottish Building Society panel lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : requirement as to whether a copy of the notice or evidence of service of Notice of Charge needs to be sent to them
5.14.1 02/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing
Scottish Building Society panel lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : minimum unexpired lease term
5.15.2c 02/12/2010 CML
Leasehold Conveyancing : Management Company
Scottish Building Society panel lawyers leasehold conveyancing requirements : requirement as to whether a copy of the signed blank stock transfer form needs to be sent to them
6.12.1 02/12/2010 CML
Pre-emption Rights, Options and Pre-emption Rights
Contact details at Scottish Building Society for approved lawyers to used where Scottish Building Society needs to be notified where property is affected by pre-emption rights, resale restrictions, options etc .
6.6.1 02/12/2010 CML
Buy to Let Conveyancing
Contact details at Scottish Building Society for approved lawyers were the subject property is let/to be let and to check Scottish Building Society lend on buy-to-let.
9.1 02/12/2010 CML
Defective Title Insurance
Scottish Building Society clarification to approved lawyers clarification as to whether Scottish Building Society need to be sent the indemnity insurance policy
Adverse Possession Indemnity Insurance Possessory Title Indemnity Insurance Missing Deeds Indemnity Insurance Defective Title Indemnity Insurance

Last update 07/11/2018

Common questions asked concerning the Scottish Building Society Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

My Conveyancer is not listed on the Scottish Building Society Solicitor Panel. Is it possible for me to continue with my family solicitor even though they are excluded from the Scottish Building Society panel?
You will need to have a conveyancer complete the legal work required when you take out a Scottish 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 Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel additional costs will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by Scottish Building Society. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so if your conveyancer has not previously applied for membership they can do so.
My conveyancer has discovered a difference when comparing the information in Scottish Building Society’s valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My solicitor informs me that as he is on the Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel he is obliged to check that the lender is with this discrepancy and is content go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s course or action right?
A precondition to being on the Scottish Building Society approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on Scottish Building Society) which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.
I require the services of a Scottish Building Society panel solicitor in Belfast. Can you assist?
Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a Scottish Building Society panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Scottish Building Society to find out which solicitors in Scottish Building Society are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. After all the cost is only one £1 a month
I would like to get my former partner taken off the mortgage deeds. Can Scottish Building Society really tell me which solicitor I can or can not retain?
You can use any solicitor you like but Scottish 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 Scottish Building Society solicitors panel
What are the common reasons for a lender such as Scottish Building Society to withdraw a mortgage offer?
Lenders such as Scottish Building Society can withdraw their mortgage offer although this is unusual. In the unlikely event that Scottish Building Society withdraw their offer they may or may not inform you or the lawyer as to their reasoning. There are various possible reasons but here are a few examples:
  • Many mortgage offers have an expiry date. Your lawyer should check this. Scottish Building Society may amend or withdraw an offer before the end of its validation period if an offer extension is requested and following a re-evaluation of the property the value of the security is below a level which is acceptable to them.
  • A cashback to the buyer, or | part of the price includes a non-cash incentive to the buyer (eg paid stamp duty land tax),or | any indirect incentive (cash or non cash) or rental guarantee, of which the lender was previously unaware
  • Following advice from the property assessor on their lender panel or If the lender has doubts about the effectiveness of the valuation as a result of subsequent events or information received post valuation but pre completion
  • Where the sale is not at arms length for value to unconnected persons
  • If the lender reasonably suspects that the applicant, borrower, mortgagor or guarantor is involved in any criminal or fraudulent activity, including trading in illegal drugs or other substances, theft, robbery, deception or other serious offences, or if the applicant borrower, mortgagor or guarantor has a conviction for any serious criminal offence, including theft, deception, fraud, robbery or trade in illegal drugs or other substances;
We have agreed a price on a apartment I spoke to a solicitor previously used by my uncle and he suggested using a solicitor approved by Scottish Building Society. The estate agent recommended two local firms so I asked Scottish Building Society if the 2 suggested solicitors are approved, which they are not. Scottish 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 Scottish 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 Scottish Building Society to suggest a law firm in your location. Lenders have them all over the country. You can also use our search tool at the top of this page to search for a lawyer on the Scottish 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 Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel as it may only take about 2-3 weeks. As long as they meet Scottish 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.
Intending to buy a house with a mortgage with Scottish 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 Scottish 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 Scottish Building Society conveyancing panel