Report Claims Law Firms Are Ignoring Potential Clients For Days
In a time when regulatory reforms are creating an increasingly competitive and hostile environment, it is shocking that some law firms are ignoring potential enquiries. The recent research, by Insight6, a customer experience expert, sought mystery shoppers and asked them to make contact with fifty law firms through their websites and phone systems. The mystery […]
NPPF: Impacts on Planning and the Environment
The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was released at the end of July. There are some notable changes of emphasis on flood risk assessment and air quality, in respect of climate change resilience and impacts on health. The Government has a clear ambition to build 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s. The previously published […]
My Home Move wins at the Law Firm Services Awards 2018
My Home Move, the UK’s leading provider of mover conveyancing services, has won the ‘Best Training Firm of the Year’ and ‘Most Innovative Use of Technology Firm of the Year’ awards at this year’s Law Firm Services Conveyancing Awards. The ceremony, which was held on Wednesday 19th September 2018, at The Vox Conference Centre in […]
LFS 2018 Award Winners Announced
Last night the conveyancing event of the year was enjoyed by a record number in attendance. Amidst the glitz and glam of the event at the prestigious VOX centre in Birmingham, the LFS Conveyancing Awards announced the well deserving winners. Congratulations to all of the winners and everybody that was nominated! Regional Conveyancing Firm of […]
A better deal for leaseholders could be on the horizon
Following recent concerns surrounding leasehold property, The Law Commission has suggested a number of reforms that could potentially ease the difficulties with leaseholders buying the freehold title to their property. The proposed reforms include making enfranchisement quicker, easier and cheaper. This includes limitations and restrictions, like living in the property for the minimum period of […]
HM Land Registry Update on digital land charges roll out
HM Land registry (HMLR) have boasted that their digital, holistic Local Land Charges (LLC) system will reduce official search times from “8 weeks to 8 clicks.” Although the system and allure of instant results will revolutionise the search process and potentially speed up house completions, a fully integrated system, that includes all 326 local authorities, […]
Conveyancing experts debate key issues at Today’s Conveyancer round table
Representatives from the UK’s most respected conveyancing firms, innovative suppliers to the sector, technology experts and industry commentators gathered yesterday to discuss the hot topics concerning the sector. Hosted by Chris Harris, Managing Director of Lawyer Checker and owner of the Practical Vision network, attendees included partners, directors and senior representatives from Law Firm Services, […]
Remortgaging hits a ten year high
The residential remortgaging market has seen the strongest July in a decade. That’s according to new figures from UK Finance. The findings by the industry trade body reveal that there were 46,900 new homeowner remortgages in July. That’s up by over 23% on the previous month. In addition, homeowners borrowed £8.7bn of remortgaging in the […]
Government Increase Funding for Additional New Build Sites
The housing crisis in England and Wales has been a consistent discussion topic amongst conveyancers in recent years. The Government’s desire to build 300,000 homes per year is inevitably outweighed against the issues like desirable locations, available land and time constraints. In a recent announcement, James Brockenshire, Hosing Secretary, has offered insight into additional funding […]
UK House Price Index Recognised as National Statistic
The UK house price index (UK HPI) has been well respected for a significant period of time. It has now been recognised as a National Statistic by the Office for Statistics Regulation. Deemed as providing accurate information, the industry regulator has viewed UK HPI as providing exemplary levels of ‘quality, value and trustworthiness’. Mike Hardie, […]
Executors selling Long Leaseholds offered relief
The case of Villarosa V Ryan (2018) has been a complex one. However, the recent ruling and slight amendments to the Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, will now permit an executor to apply for a lease extension without the usual two year waiting period. Under the 1993 leasehold reform, a tenant must have acquired […]
Your guide to this year’s ESTAS Awards…
In five weeks time on Friday 19th October the biggest and best bash in our industry takes place when The ESTAS Conveyancer Awards are held in London. So here’s all you need to know about the big day… What makes The ESTAS so special? The ESTAS are the most prestigious awards in the conveyancing sector […]
Carney Warns a No-Deal Brexit Could Cause Significant Housing Crash
Mark Carney, the Bank of England’s Governor, has issued a stark warning that a no deal Brexit could set the housing market dominoes in motion, culminating in a significant and prolonged crash. Among the headline figures that were discussed during a meeting with governors, was the possible scenario that house prices could fall by 35% […]
Average cost of moving home exceeds £12,000 for the first time
According to the Lloyds Banking Group, the average cost of moving home has increased by 4% in a year from £11,624 to £12,110. The holistic figure is calculated by adding up stamp duty, home removal costs, estate agent fees and surveyor costs. A consistent rise in the price of houses has contributed to a huge […]
CA issues response to HCLG Select Committee Leasehold Reform Inquiry
The Conveyancing Association (CA), the leading trade body for the conveyancing industry, has today (11th September 2018) issued its response to the Housing, Communities & Local Government (HCLG) Select Committee’s Leasehold Reform Inquiry. The HCLG launched its inquiry into the Government’s leasehold reform programme in July this year and it focuses in particular on how […]
Solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance: market update
As part of the Legal Eye series on helping you with preparation to negotiate your professional indemnity insurance renewal, Steve Holland of Lockton presents a market update. In further signs that the benign professional indemnity insurance (“PII”) market conditions are coming to an end, it was announced in mid-August that Libra will cease underwriting solicitors’ PII […]
InfoTrack and SOS – progressive integration for conveyancing efficiency
Solicitors Own Software (SOS) clients can now access award-winning technology services provider, InfoTrack via their case management system, as the two platforms are connected in a seamless two-way integration, key to optimising conveyancing workflows. Integration between firm-wide legal solution, SOS, and InfoTrack, facilitates the seamless passing of information from the SOS matter, into the InfoTrack […]
Legal Service Robots Are On The Rise
The rise of the robots has plagued the imagination of science-fiction since its inception. Whether it involved Asimov’s three rules of robotics or the time travelling robotic psychopaths in the Terminator franchise, the world has worried about the role of robotics. The world has prepared itself for the robotic invasion with many low skilled jobs […]
PropTech – How Best To Engage?
Keeping up with all the technological changes, or attempts at change, in our industry can seem like a full-time job. The number of ‘PropTech’ companies looking at the home-buying process appears to be rising exponentially and it seems like only a matter of time before the conveyancing sector has to deal with a real ‘disruptive […]
Will we see you in Liverpool?
In the first of a series of events with regional law societies, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers will be presenting an afternoon seminar at Liverpool Law Society on Wednesday 7th November on the future of conveyancing. The event led by CLC’s Chief Executive, Sheila Kumar, will examine the developments all conveyancing practices need to be […]
