Reminder: Cancellation of requisitions from 16 November
HM Land Registry have reminded conveyancers that it will resume cancelling applications with outstanding requests for information (requisitions) from 16 November 2020. In an article on gov.uk, the reasoning is explained: At the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic the cancellation of applications with outstanding requisitions was paused. This was done to give all of […]
Conveyancer customer service levels increase since first lockdown
Despite the bad press conveyancers are being subject to over recent months their client service levels have in fact increased. That’s the finding from the latest data released by the ESTAS customer review platform for property professionals. The findings are based on 10,000 customer reviews over the first lockdown period compared to the 3 months […]
Who says crime does not pay? Stoffel and Co. v Grondona [2020] UKSC 42
Stoffel and Co. v Grondona [2020] UKSC 42 It has been interesting to see the progression of this case through the appeal process culminating in the decision of the Supreme Court on the 30th October 2020. I assumed when I read about the decision at first instance that it would be one of those decisions […]
How best to engage with clients in lockdown 2.0
The first national lockdown period following the Covid-19 pandemic, certainly caught most of the 10,000 UK law firms off guard, particularly around the ability to ‘demobilise’ their workforce to operate remotely. While some transitioning, such as diverting phones, were relatively easy to make, the fact remains that the sector was not fully equipped to deal […]
Stamp Duty Land Tax, MDR & Claims farms
I read David Pett’s article the other day with great interest. To summarise my view, it’s an interesting and creative viewpoint, but talking to litigators specialising in this area it is I fear not one that a High Court judge will have much truck with. To quote one recent decision “I can deal with this […]
Conveyancers set client expectations over SDLT deadline
With less than 20 weeks to go until the end of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday, and with the run up to Christmas holiday season slowing transactions down, conveyancers are faced with disruptions in the process and managing clients’ expectations. Recently, Gavin Brazag, founder of The Advisory, a property consultancy firm, believes around […]
Would you consider an auction to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday?
The infrastructure that serves conveyancing is gridlocked – is there a way forward? At times like these, more people are asking if there are alternatives to the traditional homebuyer’s journey that could be faster, so people won’t miss out on the stamp duty holiday savings. Miles Robinson, head of mortgages at online broker Trussle says, […]
Transaction delays show a need for SDLT holiday extension
Calls for an extension to the stamp duty holiday deadline continue to grow louder, with good reason, although I’ve read some commentary suggesting this is only a concern for one part of the market, and that were it able ‘to get its house in order’ then the need for an extension would be greatly diminished. […]
Tactics to Speed up the Property Transaction Process
Property transaction times have been under the spotlight in recent weeks with the frenetic housing market and countdown to the stamp duty holiday end date With conveyancing firm Martin Tolhurst last week stating that new clients’ property purchases are unlikely to hit the stamp duty deadline, and buyers understandably fraught, I believe we must see […]
Lawyer Checker Aim to Raise Christmas Spirits and Cyber-Security Awareness with Gift Hamper Giveaway
Earlier this week, the cyber-security thought leaders Lawyer Checker launched two exciting competitions each with an exclusive gift hamper up for grabs. The items within include state-of-the-art tech such as an iPad mini and Bluetooth headphones as well as other items suitable for any discerning practitioner in the legal sector. Lawyer Checker is hopeful that […]
Call for urgent action ahead of stamp duty holiday deadline
Solicitors’ leaders are calling for urgent action to be taken to ease growing pressure in the residential property market ahead of the stamp duty land tax (SDLT) holiday deadline on 31 March 2021. The Law Society is among key players in the home moving process who have written to the government asking for changes to […]
NHBC launches new 2021 Standards for UK housebuilders
NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, has launched the 2021 edition of its technical Standards. The new Standards will be effective for every new home covered by an NHBC warranty, where foundations are begun on or after 1 January 2021. NHBC’s dedicated standards team have spent the last year developing […]
Legal aid firms adopt more agile processes in the pandemic
During the pandemic, the main focus of the Legal Aid Agency has been to help providers continue legal aid services for clients, identifying new flexible ways of working. The pandemic has created opportunities for these providers to improve their systems by becoming more agile and therefore offer a better service. Legal aid firms have their […]
UKLTA announces formation of Board structure
The UK LegalTech Association (UKLTA) has announced the formation of its Board structure which comprises an Executive Board and a Members Board. The Executive Board is responsible for leadership and governance of the Association, whilst the Members Board is responsible for representing the interests of the diverse membership to the Executive Board. The initial Executive […]
Supreme Court ruling prevents liability dodging
The Supreme Court has ruled that negligent conveyancers shouldn’t be able to avoid liability because it later emerges that their client was engaged in mortgage fraud. The Court revealed that if a conveyancer did this it “would be a disincentive to the diligent performance by solicitors of their duties.” Lord Lloyd Jones said: “[Conveyancing solicitors] […]
Third of sellers will now miss SDLT holiday deadline
The Advisory, a property consultancy firm, have revealed that with less than 21 weeks to go before the end of the SDLT holiday, around 30% of buyers are going to be unable to complete in time to make the most of the holiday. Gavin Brazag, Founder of The Advisory, said: “Because it takes roughly 21 […]
Could vendor disclosure replace caveat emptor? CLC roundtable highlights impact of Covid-19 on conveyancing
The rapid adoption of technology because of lockdown could move the conveyancing process from an emphasis on the buyer and caveat emptor to one of vendor disclosure, a Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) roundtable has heard. Vendor disclosure would put the onus on the seller to ensure that they have provided all the information required […]
SDLT: Lawyer’s risk management
As published in Winslows Digital Tax Magazine, The Wize. To subscribe for free, please click here. The evolving nature of SDLT case law, both in respect of “mixed use” treatment and the meaning of what amounts to a “dwelling” in the first place (as discussed in June’s issue of WIZE.) makes it crucial to evaluate […]
Cyber Hack slows Hackney Housing Market
A cyber attack on Hackney Council has brought the local housing market to a near stand still as the council recovers from the impact of having its systems severely disrupted. While the exact nature of the attack has not been revealed, the suspicion is that it was some sort of ransomware attack; a scenario in […]
Index Announces Integration with HelloSign, a Dropbox Company!
Index is excited to announce the introduction of HelloSign – secure electronic signatures for all clients and staff. Here at Index, we continually look at how we can add value to our clients’ businesses. Adding the HelloSign integration to our range of services enables our clients to offer to their clients the ability to quickly […]
