Topaz Finance Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

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

This software is the only way you can demonstrate to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their requirements, with automatic updates on Topaz Finance’s changes. Even though using this technology is not a prerequisite for Topaz Finance , demonstrating you can stay up to date with Topaz Finance’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your panel application and, more importantly, safeguard your panel status.

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

Find a Law Firm approved by Topaz Finance

Banks and building societies frequently vary their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Topaz Finance 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, Topaz Finance has made 200 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 13.7 days. In total, 36% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Topaz Finance have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Topaz Finance Solicitor Panel Sample Enquires to our Call Center from members of the public

Is the fact that my solicitor is not isted on the Topaz Finance Solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of her work?
That would more than likely be a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal 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. If you are concerned you should simply call the firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for Topaz Finance.
My grandson is buying a house that has just been built with a home loan from Topaz Finance. His solicitor has advised him of a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?
The document is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Topaz Finance conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when asked.

The Developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it.

The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Topaz Finance conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the Topaz Finance conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the Topaz Finance approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?
Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the Topaz Finance conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the Topaz Finance solicitor panel.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is expelled from the Topaz Finance Conveyancing panel in advance of the moving date as agreed at exchange of contracts?
First, 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.
Do most 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 Topaz Finance conveyancing panel requirements are different to Topaz Finance’s conveyancing panel requirements.
I currently have a mortgage with with Topaz Finance. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Topaz Finance?
Your original mortgage agreement with Topaz Finance will provide that you need their approval prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Topaz Finance’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Topaz Finance will permit you to let 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 Topaz Finance directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Topaz Finance conveyancing panel firm.
I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Topaz Finance. Is it usual for Topaz Finance to only issue the offer once my solicitor is approved on their conveyancing panel?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Topaz Finance to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Topaz Finance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.