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National Counties Building Society Solicitor Panel: Recently Asked Questions
What obligations do I have,
being on the
National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel, to carry out a LMO4 search?
National Counties Building Society make no specific obligation to carry out any of
the searches listed. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook simply states that ‘you must
ensure that any other searches which may be appropriate to the
particular property, taking into account its locality and other
features are carried out’.
Remember that most ‘less usual searches’ (as described in the Law Society’s Conveyancing Handbook) are not optional as far as National Counties Building Society are concerned if they are ‘appropriate’. Most lenders will not require environmental searches (you should Check Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook to be sure), but you are obliged to explain risks and availability to the client.
Ground stability, Plansearch,flood searches as well as the searches listed in the question are optional – but only to the extent that you have allowed the borrower client to make an informed choice. Regardless of whether there is a mortgage, If you have not advised the client that these (and other) searches are available and what risks they cover, then you will be liable if the client suffers loss through not conducting one. Is this covered within your Terms of Engagement or Report on Title?
A leading search provider lists over 65 conveyancing searches – do you know what all of them are and when they may be relevant? If you are unsure as to which searches are appropriate based on location call your search provider or call one of the leading search companies such as Searchflow.
Being on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel how long am I obliged to keep hold of the complete conveyancing file?
The Council of Mortgage Lender requirements of
National Counties Building Society are silent on this. Most mortgage companies deal with the issue of file retention via their Terms and Conditions where they generally provide that for evidential purposes, the firm must keep the file for a minimum six years from the date of the mortgage. Data imagining is normally
suitable compliance with this requirement. Many lenders point out in
that it is the practice of some fraudsters to demand the conveyancing
file on completion in order to destroy evidence that may later be
used against them. It is therefore important to retain these
documents to protect National Counties Building Society’s interest. To be
absolutely sure of National Counties Building Society requirements in this regard
please check the Terms and Conditions of National Counties Building Society’s
conveyancing panel acceptance.
What sort of information are Lenders such as
National Counties Building Society are asking for when it comes to applying to be on their approved conveyancing panel?
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
National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel. Typically lenders need to have full knowledge of a firm including (but not limited to):
List of all those staff who work within the conveyancing team
Full career history for each solicitor including admission date to the relevant Law Society
House price discrepancies (declared to lender vs. registered at Land Registry)
and Conveyancing Quality Scheme
List of fee-earners who are foreign qualified
SRA or equivalent regulator registration number where applicable
Full disciplinary history for each conveyancing solicitor
Charge registration history
Whether the firm has ever applied for accreditation and the outcome of the application
Full complaints history for each licensed conveyancer
Can you give me an example of some of the reports available via COMPLETIONmonitor to support my application to be on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel
?
There are many reports available, five of which are as follows:
- Number of conveyancing cases by lender
- Evidence of undertaking logs
- The percentage of the firm’s business which is conveyancing (broken down into sale/purchase and remortgage)
- Average time frame to register charges at the Land Registry
- Average time frame to send deeds to the lender (calculated from completion date or title registration)
My conveyancing assistant has resigned unexpectedly.
I urgently need to prioritise making sure that charges are registered. That said, how quickly do I need to send deeds to
National Counties Building Society once the charge is registered before my firm runs the risk of being suspended off the conveyancing panel for National Counties Building Society?
National Counties Building Society will likely expect the deeds to be sent to them within 10 days of you receiving the TID (unless their specific P2 requirements specifically state that they you are not to send them anything). Most COTs refer to complying with the Certificate of Title referred to in IB (3.7) of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011, published by the Law Society which states that you ‘will despatch to you such deeds and documents relating to the Property as you require with a list of them in the form prescribed by you within ten working days of receipt by us of the title information document from the Land Registry’ As to whether the lender will suspend your panel status this very much varies according to the lender’s own internal policies The more cases you have the more risk you face. Some lenders may take action if there records show that the deeds are outstanding for more than 3 matters. The fact is that if you keep within the time frame then you will have more chance of remaining on the
National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel.
Should CQS acceptance secure my firm’s acceptance on to lenders conveyancing panels?
The Law Society’s CQS accreditation is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a prerequisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors. Some Lenders now use CQS as the starting point for Panel approval as is the case with HSBC.
My firm is listed on the
National Counties Building Society
conveyancing panel and scheduled to complete a remortgage within the next week. I can not locate a Mortgage Deed for the client to execute.
Who do I contact at National Counties Building Society to obtain duplicate documents?
You need to communicate with National Counties Building Society
to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook contains a specific section for lenders to reveal who to contact to obtain standard documents.
National Counties Building Society in their Part 2’s state:
Don’t forget to quote your National Counties Building Society solicitors panel reference.
Find a Lawyer on the National Counties Building Society Solicitor Panel
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Average number of days to register title including a charge in favour of National Counties Building Society
This information relates to purchase only and not remortgages.
| Year | Days* |
|---|---|
| 2026 | [no data] |
| 2025 | [no data] |
| 2024 | [no data] |
| 2023 | [no data] |
| 2022 | [no data] |
| 2021 | [no data] |
* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor
Other related topics:
- CQS policy templates and procedures for accredited National Counties Building Society Firms
- Draft Report on Title precedent for National Counties Building Society borrowers
- Draft Anti Money Laundering PolicyTemplate for National Counties Building Society panel firms to consider
- Dealing with Lender Policy Template panel for CQS accredited firms on the National Counties Building Society lender panel
- Buy-to-Let help for National Counties Building Society
- Consent-to-Let help for National Counties Building Society
- Contractor Mortgages with National Counties Building Society
