New Search Code Regulatory Members At COPSO
Earlier this month the Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) announced the appointment of the newly formed PCCB Compliance Committee, who will be responsible for regulating the Search Code from tomorrow. The Search Code is the quality mark for private sector searches, ensuring the highest standards are maintained by the industry. It is also the […]
2020: Today’s Conveyancer Panel Predicitions
Whilst the majority are looking to polish off the last of the annual festive indulgences we are able to get away with at this time of year, many will be reflecting on 2019 before speculating about the changes set to take place in the decade ahead. The conveyancing sector has adapted to a multitude of change throughout […]
2 Year Jail Sentence For Letting Agent
A letting agent who defrauded over £230,000 from landlords and tenants has received a two year custodial sentence by Southampton Crown Court. Andrew Whitehead pleaded guilty to three counts of fraudulently trading, one count of forging a bank statement and four counts of using forged bank statements. During an investigation undertaken by Southampton City Council’s […]
Home Transactions Strong In Final Quarter
The final quarter of the year is statistically the busiest time for home completions. According to a 5-year analysis of Land Registry data, by Housesimple, and average of 241,113 transactions complete between October and December. As people prepare to be in their home for the festive period, October remains the most hectic time with an […]
Mortgage ‘Prisoners’ Launch Legal Bid
On the 18th December it was announced that Harcus Parker had begun legal proceedings on behalf of current and former Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley mortgage holders. The firm has previously acted in high-profile disputes, such as shareholder action against Lloyds Banking group in relation to a claim brought by over 200,000 ‘mortgage prisoners’. The proceedings being brought are […]
Andy Sommerville, Director at Search Acumen, Comments On MHCLG Q3 Planning Application Statistics
Andy Sommerville, Director at Search Acumen, comments: “The end of the decade can’t come soon enough for those in the housebuilding trade. Since the financial crisis we’ve seen rates of planning applications flat line for nearly a whole decade. “Q3 2019 was not inclined to buck this trend. The last three years of destructive political […]
Experts Discuss 2019: Price Transparency, AML, Oh And Brexit
Legal service professionals entered 2019 having adapted to price and service transparency regulatory change. It seemed as though the sector spent huge amounts of time and effort transforming digital communication methods in order to comply with the regulations. In 2019, this issue is still a talking point with a fifth of Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) firms […]
Expert Offers Insight On Queen’s Speech Leasehold Reform
The Queen’s speech was underwhelming for the housing sector but did reinforce the government’s intentions to help the leasehold sector. The Queen discussed a ‘comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market.’ The content of the speech also insisted on protecting tenants, making home ownership more affordable and discounted for local […]
SRA Drops Proposals To Cut PII Cover
The news that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) decided to abandon proposal plans to lower the levels of professional Indemnity cover (PII) was welcomed by the Law Society. Back in March 2018, the SRA proposed to reduce the minimum level of PII to improve the balance of cost and access to legal services for consumers […]
12 Tips To Avoid HM Land Registry Requisitions
For post-completion services visit www.propertyconveyancingconsultancy.co.uk, or email PSinder@pc-consultancy.co.uk
Law Society Warns Firms Around 5AMLD Changes
With just three weeks to go until the Fifth Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) will be introduced, The Law Society are making firms aware of the small window of time in which firms need to assess and adjust to the changes to the 5AMLD. Recently, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) experts urged the Government to take immediate action to publish […]
First Time Buyers Become Victims Of A Phishing Scam
First time buyers (FTBs) lost their money through what is known as an ‘phishing attack’ after fraudsters intercepted emails between them and their conveyancer. Two young FTBs have sadly lost £94,000 when funds were cruelly stolen from them by fraudsters which they thought had safely been transferred to their solicitors. Unfortunately, the whole chain collapsed as all […]
Landmark Strengthens Business With OneSearch Direct Acquisition
Landmark Information Group, the leading provider of information to the UK property market and part of Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT), has today announced the acquisition of OneSearch Direct, which provides property information and conveyancing solutions to solicitors and other customers throughout England and Wales. Since 1992, OneSearch Direct has developed an extensive […]
Many Brits Unaware Of ‘Build To Rent’ Properties
Over half of the British people are unaware of ‘Build to Rent’ developments and properties. As many as 59% of Brits have never heard of the Build to Rent term, according to research from Platform Love to Rent. Nearly four in 10 British adults believe that they will, or their dependants will be living in rented homes in […]
Andy Sommerville, Director at Search Acumen, Comments On UK House Price Index For October 2019
Andy Sommerville, Director at Search Acumen, comments: “Where there is growth there is life. And although we haven’t seen much in the way of house price growth, today’s statistics show life is returning to the housing market – particularly in areas outside of the Capital. “These latest ONS statistics are from October and we expect […]
It Might Be Twelve Days Of Christmas, But It’s Fifty Days Of Delays For Local Authority Searches
Busy conveyancers are increasingly finding that Councils are taking longer to return the results of local authority searches. Conveyancers and their clients are waiting on average about 10 days, but there have been reports of delays up to 50 days and in the case of one particular Council, up to 90 days. Mark Davies, Head […]
House Price Growth Falls To Seven Year Low
According to the Office for National Statistics’ UK House Price Index, house prices increased by 0.7% in the year to October. The latest figures also suggest that growth has fallen by 1% since the start of 2019 and over 7% since the referendum result in 2016. In the year to August, volume transactions fell by […]
Mortgage Completions And Approvals Fall In October
Between August and October, the number of mortgages completed in the UK fell by 6.7%. 65,630 mortgages completed in the UK during October according to recent statistics from UK Finance. This figure was made up of 32,260 first-time buyer mortgage completions and 33,370 home mover mortgage completions. Whilst the figures represented a 2.8% and 4.2% increase respectively on […]
Experts Forecast Buoyant Post-Brexit Property Market
The election is over, stage one of ‘get Brexit done’ is in sight as Boris Johnson attempts to pass the Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament before Christmas and experts feel a lot more optimistic about the housing market in 2020. Rightmove has predicted that house prices will increase by an average of 2% next year as the […]
poweredbypie Provides Efficient, Secure Payment Option For Searches For Comptons Solicitors
Comptons is an innovative, award winning and well established firm of solicitors situated near Regent’s Park in north west London. Set up in 1987, the firm originally dealt almost exclusively with property investment, development and dealing companies. However, over the years it expanded and now undertakes high quality property work notably lease renewal and enfranchisement, […]
