National Counties Building Society Conveyancing Panel Information

The information on this page is designed to keep solicitors and licensed conveyancers abreast of latest requirements changes by National Counties Building Society and to assist in remaining on the National Counties Building Society Solicitor Panel.

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How does my firm apply to be on the National Counties Building Society Solicitor Panel?

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National Counties Building Society Conveyancing Panel: Recently Asked Questions

Is it possible that National Counties Building Society will appoint an alternative lawyer on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel for a further advance during the lifetime of a mortgage?

Paragraph 16.2.1 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook relevant to a solicitor on the National Counties 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’.

Are the CML planning on creating a online directory search tool with a view to list firms on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel?

Lexsure has not been advised of any intention on the part of the CML to develop such a tool.

My client is buying a detached house for £800,000 in Bristol with a mortgage over GBP 450,000. I am on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel but do National Counties Building Society have a separate approved panel when the advance is above 400,000?

We only know of two or three lenders that operate a separate approved solicitors panel where the mortgage advance is over a certain amount. You should nevertheless check directly with National Counties Building Society. At one stage HSBC would only allow Sole practitioners to act for them where the mortgage was below £150,000. We are not sure if HSBC still operate such a condition. In your case it is best to check with National Counties Building Society

Who do building societies allow to be on their Conveyancing Panels?

In the same way that there is a unique National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel most building societies, operate a conveyancing panel for solicitors and other conveyancers that the lender will instruct. Terms and Conditions and criteria for inclusion on a building society conveyancing panel vary from lender-to-lender. Having CQS accreditation may be a requirement. Institutional lenders, such as a building society, is a client and is entitled to instruct the solicitor or conveyancer of its choosing (who, in turn, is free to accept or refuse instructions). Therefore, if lender and borrower cannot agree which solicitor or conveyancer should represent them jointly, they would usually proceed on a separate representation basis. The BSA have not published the equivalent of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Part 3s.

My post-completion clerk 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.

If my application is successful will Conveyancing Quality Scheme acceptance guarantee my firm’s acceptance on to lenders conveyancing panels?

CQS membership gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a prerequisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors. A number of Lenders now use CQS as the starting point for Panel approval as is the case with Astra Mortgages.

Our practice is on the National Counties Building Society conveyancing panel and all set to complete a purchase within the next few weeks. My file does not contain a Mortgage Deed for the client to execute. Who do I contact at National Counties Building Society to get a duplicate Deed?

You would be advised to communicate with National Counties Building Society to obtain standard documents. The CML Handbook incorporates an express question 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 conveyancing panel reference.

Find a Lawyer on the National Counties Building Society Solicitor Panel

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*
2024	[no data]
2023	[no data]
2022	[no data]
2021	[no data]
2020	[no data]
2019	[no data]

* Data aggregated from sources including COMPLETIONmonitor

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