Online property searches soar
Email4Property, the UK’s largest online network of estate agents, has seen a surge in market activity in the three months to October, with the number of people looking to buy or rent increasing by nearly a fifth. Enquiries to the website increased by 18.6% in the third quarter of this year. Of these, a staggering […]
September Land Registry data for transfers for value by firm
Land Registry has provided Today’s Conveyancer with a list of the number of applications per firm for transfers of value in September. For a link to the top 25 in the list click here Whilst nearly 5700 firms made application to Land Registry only 2865 made more than 5 applications in the month to Land […]
More cash buyers in London
With a shortgage of mortgage finance and broker activity conveyancers have sought to market themselvesas specialists serving certain specialist markets like sale to rent back or what remains of the broker market. Marsh and Parsons the central London estate agent with 14 branches has recently reported that the London property market is less exposed to […]
Shelter’s new Christmas advert shows how anyone can lose their home.
Every day conveyancers act to buy homes for families but rarely think about the consequences when things go wrong. It seems appropriate therefore for Today’s Conveyancer to highlight this campaign and the work of Shelter. The charity’s new ‘Disappearing Houses’ campaign will launch with 2500 tube card panel adverts on London Underground trains and print […]
Precise Mortgages approved by FSA
Precise Mortgages, the specialist mortgage lender, has today confirmed that its application to enter into regulated mortgage contracts as lender has been approved. We have previously reported that Precise have a very restricted panel of conveyancing firms on their panel and that they justify it to avoid fraud. Precise Mortgages launched into the unregulated buy-to-let […]
PCCB draws up revised Code
The PCCB has today welcomed the publication of a revised and strengthened Search Code by the Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO). With the suspension of Home Information Packs (HIPs) in May 2010, and the resultant loss of the legal framework for searches that the HIP Regulations provided, it was vital that the Code was […]
SRA reports on final stage of Handbook overhaul
The Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) has published its findings from its consultation with members in May this year. The SRA proposes changes to the new SRA Code of Conduct (the Code) and other sets of rules in the Handbook, moving towards new broader principles. The deadline for responses to this consultation is 13 January 2011. […]
Solicitors’ Conveyancing Quality Scheme launched – solicitors’ last chance?
Last Wednesday I sat in the ball room of the Waldorf Hotel to listen to the launch of the new Transaction Conveyancing Quality Scheme (TCQS). Take it seriously, it may impact on your position on lenders panels, your insurance and your reputation in the market. If you aren’t on the scheme by next spring your […]
Book Review – The Conveyancing Handbook 17th Edition
Buy it here Conveyancing Handbook Francis Silveman and her team have once again updated the bible of conveyacing to deal with the ever changing nature of the environment that we work in. Whatever aspect of the everyday toil of conveyancing this book provides detailed information about your obligations and duties to ensure that you keep […]
Private sector investment for the Land Registry
Alan Riley of Property PSL http://www.propertypsl.co.uk has allowed us to republish his article on the Land Registry Private sector investment for the Land Registry Posted by Alan_Riley on Sun, 17/10/2010 – 12:16 As part of the review of Government spending, the Land Registry reports that officials in the Ministry of Justice have been asked to […]
Possession orders: the absent defendant
Ian Peacock of New Square Chambers has kindly allowed us to republish one of his recent articles. Possession orders: the absent defendant A possession order is made in the absence of the defendant who has been served with the claim. The defendant subsequently applies to set aside the order. What principles govern the application? That […]
6% growth in gross lending in October
Gross mortgage lending grew to an estimated £32.4 billion in October, rising nearly 6% from £30.6 billion in September and £30.6 billion in October last year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. While the increase is higher than the 3% seasonal rise that might typically be expected between September and October, the figure predominantly […]
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October sellers struggle to adjust to new market conditions
The Rightmove House Price Index for October 2010 shows “bullish” pricing in the face of tight mortgage availability and increasing numbers of properties on the market. The average national asking price increased 3.1% to £236,849 although market fundamentals remain poor. Properties per branch rises from 69 in October last year to 78 now and mortgage […]
Judkin's seek support to challenge Santander panel review decision
Paul Judkin of Judkins Solicitors in Hertfordshire has made conveyancing news by giving Today’s Conveyancer full access to his letter and plea to the Law Society Gazette for help in staying on lender panels and we feel it the matter is of sufficient importance and interest that the whole letter should be published. Please […]
Innovation award for automatic title checking.
In a recent blog article Breeze and Wyles explain that they have won the Best Single Innovation of the Year award for 2010 from Lawnet for their automated title checking system. With a technical innovation that will surprise those conveyancers that are not fully immersed in volume remortgage work Breeze and Wyles have won the […]
Barclays drops ERC for tracker mortgage switches
In a move that may depress the remortgage market more Barclays is extending its Switch & Fix feature to all existing Woolwich mortgage customers who have taken out tracker deals. Barclays is the first provider to give all existing tracker mortgage customers a ‘get out of tracker deal’ service. Switch & Fix (or ‘drop lock’) […]
And the social network marketing winner is…
Borrowing from a tweet by Paul Hajek of Clutton Cox we focus on a prestigious award for a conveyancer that was open to the whole legal profession.. The annual 360 legal group awards dinner was held on the 7th October near Tower Bridge in London and the winners were: 1. Most Innovative Marketing Idea: Birmingham […]
Enact Direct Legal Solutions claims to buck trend on remortgage levels
In a claim that is supported by information coming from Land Registry enact have issued a statement claiming 20% market share of the remortgage market (see below) and a doubling of that share during the year. This press release will no doubt generate a mixture of emotions from others in the sector who have not […]
What did the Tudors do for us?
CCS insurance have kindly written the following article for us to remind us about the history and case law relating to chancel liability. What did the Tudors do for us? Well, history tells us the Tudors were a Welsh-English family that ruled England and Wales from 1485 to 1603 – one of the most exciting […]
