Covid-19 Cash Flow Issues Impacting Legal Sector
During these uncertain times, the worry about how the UK economy will cope and recover from the Coronavirus pandemic has been talked about by many. Whilst firms are attempting to consolidate their cash flows and ensure they can recover and hit the ground running when the UK comes out of lockdown, it seems it’s becoming […]
Opening Quarter Requisitions Increase Slightly
HM Land Registry (HMLR) requisitions increased slightly in the opening quarter of the year despite consecutive improvements in the final half of 2019. Between January and March 2020, 13.6 per cent 12.8% of all applications made to HM Land Registry resulted in a requisition. This represented a 0.8 per cent increase from the 12.8 per […]
Adapting To The ‘New Normal’
How property lawyers are preparing for the future By Paul Saunders, MD of Legal Eye None of us can confidently say what lies ahead; however what we do know is that the future will be markedly different to what has gone before. Clearly we are going to enter a new phase in both our business […]
Legal Advice Sector Gifted £5.4 Million
The legal advice sector is set to receive £5.4 million investment in a bid to help people seeking advice with housing, debt, discrimination and employment issues. The money will be distributed amongst not for profit organisations and Law Centres across England and Wales. Given the increase in people seeking advice regarding a number of legal […]
Four-Step Plan To Property Market Recovery
The government has been urged to release ‘safe move’ guidance and a number of monetary incentives to ensure the property market safely hits the ground running once it is reopened. The group of property sector stakeholders including Landmark Information Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau and Simplify have written to Robert Jenrick, highlighting a four-step proposal to […]
Property Market Just Weeks Away From Phased Return
Boris Johnson is expected to use Sunday’s briefing to set out the exit strategy for UK business which will include opening the UK property market within three weeks. According to Mark Hayward, chief executive of NAEA Propertymark, during a recent Rightmove Hub webinar, NAEA Property have been ‘working with MHCLG and BEIS and also conveyancers […]
Diary Of A Highstreet Conveyancer – Monday May 4
Monday Today was probably the slowest day I can remember since I started my practice twenty years ago. Having already sorted through old course notes, I sorted out a box of cards, putting most into the recycling bin, and updated my own information forms. The opportunity to review a sales pack for an auction towards […]
Conveyancing Firm Achieves Million Pound Equity Funding Round
Muve, a conveyancing firm offering their clients exchange within 25 working days, has just completed an equity funding round worth £1.1 million. Muve is intending to use the money to increase its automation offerings, improve its use of technology and monetise more data services. David Jabbari, CEO of Muve commented: “We are delighted to achieve […]
Diary Of A Highstreet Conveyancer – Friday May 1st
Friday So on a Friday before a Bank Holiday week, I would expect to have many people moving house – the excitement and stress of a busy Friday – but not today. I had no one moving house at all. And talking to neighbouring firms, that was pretty much the norm. Then it hits you […]
Property Market Could Reopen By June
The Housing Minister, Chirs Pincher, is set to release plans outlining how estate agents can return to work in the coming weeks whilst the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have drafted guidance around safely completing property valuations when the market reopens. According to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Pincher and the MHCLG team have […]
71% Of Firms At Risk Of Closure
71 per cent of high street law firms are worried about their businesses collapsing in 2020. According to a recent survey from the Law Society, cashflow issues and declining fee income could cause seven in 10 smaller firms closing their doors within six months because of the strain Covid-19 has placed on the legal sector. […]
Mortgage Approvals And Sales Received Plummet In March
The number of sales received for registration and mortgage offers accepted in March plummeted as the UK prepared itself for a new normal in a bid to combat the spread of Covid-19. According to HM Land Registry’s ‘Price Paid’ data for March, sales received had fallen 29 per cent from 78,243 in February to 54,785. […]
Lawyer Checker’s Inaugral Lockdown Quiz Winner Announced
Here at Lawyer Checker, we understand the need to retain human contact during these difficult times of social isolation and were proud to host our inaugural ‘Lawyer Checker’s Lockdown Quiz’ last week. The quiz took place on Thursday April 30 with over 20 people actively participating. The diverse group of legal professionals and suppliers were […]
HMLR Temorarily Amend Rules Around ID And Signing Deeds
HM Land Registry (HMLR) have temporarily amended their rules regarding ID verification and the signing of deeds from today to help reduce the barriers caused by social distancing restrictions. Deeds can now be signed using the ‘Mercury signing approach’ from today. For land registration purposes, a signed signature page using ink and witnessed in person […]
SearchFlow Fundraises For Cardiac Charity In Memory Of Colleague
Following a special memorial fundraising day earlier this year, SearchFlow – the UK’s leading provider of property conveyancing search solutions based in Kings Hill, Kent – has raised money for the Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) charity in honour of a colleague, James Pilfold, who sadly passed away in December 2018 aged just 27. […]
Land Data Welcomes NLIS Channel License Applications
Land Data, the National Land Information Service (NLIS) regulator, is inviting companies to apply for a license to operate as a regulated provider of NLIS sourced data. To help mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the property searches sector, companies who already order Local Authority, Coal Authority or HMLR official searches could benefit hugely from […]
Landmark Reveals New Landmark Academy To Provide Free Learning
Landmark reveals new Landmark Academy to provide free learning and development for property lawyers and conveyancers Landmark Information, the property, land and environmental data specialist, has today launched a brand new Landmark Academy service, which provides property lawyers, conveyancers, legal executives and PAs with the ability to access free training and development videos, podcasts and […]
Legal Zoom Sell Law Firm To Metamorph Group
Legal Zoom have sold their Yorkshire-based law firm Beaumont Legal to the ambitious Metamorph Group. Since being founded in 2015, the Metamorph Group have acquired seven law firms in England. Multi practice law firms across England which include Linder Myers in the north west, Terry Jones in the midlands and Verisona Law, Donnelly & Elliot […]
Diary Of A Highstreet Conveyancer – Thursday April 30
Thursday So today was like all the other days as they all merge into the same – I am just thankful that I can come to my office. And then it is interesting when you have a client, selling an empty property, who thinks it is acceptable to impose a deadline. I do not like […]
Ask An Expert: Quotation Communication Tools And Property Sector Resillience
The property market has been forced to stall as the UK fights the ‘invisible enemy’ and some forecasts predict contraction in transaction of up to 50 per cent in 2020. However, many conveyancers have highlighted their resilience and determination in difficult conditions with reduced employees creating increased workloads as more staff are furloughed to cut […]
