Ecology Building Society Conveyancing Panel Information

Section 16.2.1 of Part 1 of the Handbook applicable to a solicitor on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel reads ‘Our mortgage secures further advances. Consequently, when a further advance is required for alterations or improvements to the property we will not normally instruct a member of our conveyancing panel but if you are instructed the appropriate provisions of this Handbook will apply’.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders, along with Ecology Building Society and other stakeholders developed a standard set of instructions where a conveyancer is representing a lender such as Ecology Building Society alone in a residential conveyancing transaction. These obligations are contained at Part 3 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook and are to be read together with Sections One and Two. The CML have published an example requirements letter to the borrower’s conveyancing solicitor for use by the lender's conveyancer, and sets out to the borrower's conveyancer, the documentary and information requirements of the lender's panel lawyer.

Although not necessarily published, lenders have varying criteria . We do not hold specific requirements relating to the questions raised as part of the application to be on the Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel. Typically lenders need to have full knowledge of a firm including (but not limited to):

conveyancer client account(s) details

Details of any accreditation e.g. Lexcel or

Full complaints history for each licensed conveyancer

Structure of firm and, where applicable, its group

Automated alerting to inform lenders when there is a fundamental change to the firm (e.g. change of management)

Whether the firm has ever applied for accreditation and the outcome of the application

Full disciplinary history for each conveyancing solicitor

Number of partners per branch of the firm

Number of lender conveyancing panels the firm is currently on

Areas of Law covered by the firm

You might expect Ecology Building Society via their Part Two conditions to address this but the Handbook is silent on time frames. Do look at the Terms of Ecology Building Society’s Conveyancing Panel Appointment that you entered into. For a number of banks these Terms include a provision such as: ‘To keep us informed of the reasons for any delay in your being able to send the title deeds and documents we require to us within 3 months of completion or evidence of proof of registration within that period. (We will send reminders if the deeds have not been received but will not acknowledge receipt of deeds’ It is important to keep Ecology Building Society informed. Law firms can often compound their problems by not communicating with the lender when there is a delay or problem.

In the circumstances please clarify on the application what action you have taken to find out the reasons behind cancellation of your Ecology Building Society panel membership. In particular please provide details if you have received communications from the lender. E.G. before cessation of your panel membership did you receive any letters or calls from the lender advising you as to their reasons?

You would be advised to contact Ecology Building Society to obtain standard documents. The The Council of Mortgage Lenders Handbook incorporates a specific section for banks to set out who to contact to obtain standard documents. Ecology Building Society in their Part 2’s state: It is likely that you will need to quote your Ecology Building Society conveyancing panel reference.