Part time landlords are risky business for conveyancers
The 7% of British landlords who rent out property as a secondary form of income are at great risk of putting themselves in danger of prosecution and hefty fines, as nearly half aren’t using property professionals for advice on compliancy and tenancy management. According to research data released by insurance provider, LV=, over half of […]
Search Acumen unveils “IntelliSearch” to deliver the first ‘step change’ in conveyancing searches for years (Topic of the Month – Process Management)
First year of business sees Search Acumen seize 2.5% market share Senior team using 30 years of experience to bring innovation to searches IntelliSearch technology already saving days of admin and processing time Search Acumen has unveiled ambitious plans for using new technology to deliver a ‘step change’ in conveyancing search service, speed and accuracy. […]
Process Management: A change of approach (Topic of the Month – Process Management)
Many still regard conveyancing as an art form, the ability to identify a problem and best decide how to address it or indeed whether it needs to be addressed at all. Amongst the best of us are those who are able to balance the pressures of achieving the client’s wishes, avoiding negligence and demonstrating commercial […]
CML Lender Update – Rely on TitleChecker® to tell you the answer
It can be a timely process keeping on top of which lender changed what! Amendments to the CML Lenders Handbook were made on Monday 1st December 2014; With 31 changes made to both Part 1 & 2 of the CML. It is imperative that conveyancers reference the handbook in every transaction, as non-compliance is still […]
Award-winning investment agency launches new B2L development in UK’s next garden city
55,000 new homes per year to be built until 2020 (HM Treasury) Bicester to see 13,000 new homes built as UK’s next garden city project (HM Treasury) Brand new luxury B2L apartments in Bicester available from £184,950 (Property Frontiers) The Government has confirmed the location of its second garden city – the historic market town […]
60% of mortgages are brokered – make sure you’re the next step in the process
It has been reported that brokered mortgages account for 60% of the current market. With the recent business partnerships developing between lenders and brokers, should conveyancers be working to become more apparent in this expanding network of trusted advisers? Until a couple of years ago, the vast majority of mortgages were agreed directly with banks […]
Interest in Visualfiles 2014 is increasing – so what’s new? (Topic of the Month – Process Management)
We talk to Nigel Williams, the LexisNexis Product Manager for Visualfiles about Visualfiles 2014 — the latest release. Prior to acquisition by LexisNexis in 2006, Visualfiles was the dominant player in the conveyancing workflow market. However, some indecision on the part of the previous management regimes in defining future product direction after acquisition created doubt […]
Mortgage fraud detection reduced, but offenders are adapting to the changing market dynamics
Though mortgage lending is believed to be on the rise, a recent report from financial services company, Experian claims the number of applications detected for mortgage fraud risks has been reduced. According to Director of Identity and Fraud at Experian, Nick Mothershaw, the property industry has witnessed 79 out of 10,000 mortgage applications being fraudulent […]
Wake up call for firms looking to employ the right MLRO
Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) reveal there have been some very serious cases of money laundering within the profession of recent. There are law firms who are currently undergoing the disciplinary process, say a Legal Features’ report. They have also stated a selection of main cases becoming public soon after the process is finalised. Manager of […]
No perfect age to buy a house – those in their 30s and 40s are stopped in their tracks
Stricter mortgage lending and inflated property prices means it is increasingly challenging for conveyancers and property professionals to target any particular demographic within their business strategies. It’s been widely reported that the vast majority of young adults are remaining within rental properties, as they are unable to join the property ladder until later in life. […]
Autumn Statement 2014 – £2.3bn for Flood Defences
Announced in the budget this week was the welcome news of an increase to the flood budget for 2014/2015. For the thousands of homes affected by flood this year this will certainly be a step in the right direction… A £2.3bn investment is being implemented over the next six years to protect some of the […]
Conveyancer Slater – Tweet of the Week
When your conveyancer doesn’t even realise that one sale has fallen through weeks ago & a new one is now agreed…Confidence is 0% #facepalm – Antony Burdett-Clark (@lightboxstudios) December 4, 2014
How to improve the conveyancing process to protect your clients from gazumping (Topic of the Month – Process Management)
Low supply and high demand for housing within many areas of Britain is leading to buyers battling for the few properties that come on the market. This is often leading to a number of sealed bids being made on each home, and it seems the seller regularly goes with the highest offer on the table. […]
GroundSure have improved their Homebuyers report, contact Searches UK to see the fresh new look
The GroundSure Homebuyers report which is offered to solicitors and conveyancers by Searches UK, has undergone a recent makeover to improve the layout of the information included in the report so it is now even clearer to see. The report is still as informative as it was previously and covers topics from contaminated land, flooding, […]
Fleet Mortgages appoint Connells as valuation panel manager
Fleet Mortgages, the new buy-to-let and specialist lender, has today (4th December 2014) announced it has appointed Connells Survey & Valuation as its valuation panel manager. Connells Survey & Valuation is one of the largest panel management and survey organisations in the country with over 25 years’ experience and nationwide coverage, and will now provide […]
Conveyancing Association supports improved communication with estate agents
New Guide is first of its kind for property sector The Conveyancing Association has today launched a new Best Practice Guide to help improve communication between conveyancers and estate agents. The Guide is the first of its kind for the property sector. It is designed to offer further guidance in helping to speed up transactions […]
Acquisition of STL Group plc by InfoTrack Ltd
STL Group plc was acquired by InfoTrack Ltd on 28th November 2014. Established for over 40 years, STL Group plc is the largest independent search provider in the UK, providing residential and commercial conveyancing searches, company searches, anti-money laundering solutions, EPCs and conveyancing indemnity policies. InfoTrack is Australia’s market-leading and fastest growing legal information provider. […]
OneSearch Direct searches offer the Homebuyer Conveyancing panel peace of mind
OneSearch Direct, the largest local authority data search company in the UK, has announced it is now supplying its Local Authority, Drainage and Water searches to We Help You Too Ltd, which manages the Homebuyer Conveyancing panel. “Homebuyer Conveyancing is made up of a panel of quality licensed conveyancers and solicitors that cover the counties […]
Autumn Statement: Headache for homeowners despite progressive Stamp Duty Land Tax
Introduction of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a fair move but some homeowners in London and the South East will suffer, says Stephen Hemmings, director at Menzies LLP: "From tomorrow, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on residential property will be charged at a progressive rate. This is more equitable than the previous system where […]
Autumn Statement delivers stamp duty reform
In this afternoon’s Autumn Statement, George Osborne delivered a seemingly promising speech, with plans to support home buyers by providing tax cuts for 98% of consumers. As hoped by many within the property industry, new rules will be put in place by the government whereby stamp duty will only be incurred on only the fraction […]
