St James Place Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

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

This software facilitates the way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with alerts on St James Place’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising the software is not a prerequisite for St James Place , demonstrating you can stay up to date with St James Place’s Handbook requirements is an excellent support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, safeguard your firm’s panel standing.

The system generates real-time alerts, automatically produces regulatory and CQS reports, and will improve your firm's efficiency. In addition it is user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to a PII saving.

Find a Law Firm approved by St James Place

Lenders often change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from St James Place 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, St James Place has made 29 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 94.1 days. In total, 12% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for St James Place have been changed since 15/12/2008.

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St James Place Solicitor Panel Recently Asked Questions from members of the public

I am selling my apartment and the EA has just called to say that the buyers are appointing a new law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that St James Place will only work with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a leading mortgage company only engage with certain law firms?
Banks have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Banks blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been tightened and a smaller panel should be easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels, or have other concerns about them. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyer’s case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

I am buying a newly built flat and my solicitor is advising me that she has to disclose incentives from the developer as her firm is on the St James Place conveyancing panel. I am under pressure to exchange contracts and I have no desire to prolong the conveyancing. Can I insist on an exchange regardless of what my lawyer says about being on the St James Place panel?
You should not exchange unless you have advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on the St James Place approved panel is to comply with the CML Handbook requirements (last updated for this lender on St James Place). The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I need to find a St James Place panel solicitor in Stirling. Can you assist?
Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a St James Place panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to St James Place to find out which solicitors in St James Place 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 was scheduled to complete on my dream home last Friday. My solicitor is on the St James Place conveyancing panel but has moved offices in the past couple of months and had not informed St James Place of their new address. St James Place is now refusing to release my funds as the information from the solicitors isn't correct.
This is as unusual as it is unlucky. Most 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 St James Place branch or your mortgage broker to see if they can help.
Is there a list of St James Place panel conveyancers on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?
No. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online.
I am buying a property where the roof has a solar panel. St James Place have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with St James Place your lawyer must to check the St James Place conveyancing instructions contained in the Part of CML Handbook for St James Place . The CML Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to St James Place where a lease does not meet these requirements. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales. Requirements for Scotland are due in the near future.
I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in month 7 but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, St James Place are being problematic. The solicitor who is on the St James Place conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but St James Place are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do St James Place have a conveyancing panel of they don’t accept advice from them?
It is probably the case that St James Place have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why St James Place may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing correctly and safely installed. It merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.