Government launches service to track remediation of high risk buildings
Under the Leaseholder and Resident Service, those living in tower blocks will have access to updates on the status of their building’s application to the government’s Building Safety Fund. Under the new Leaseholder and Resident Service, those living in tower blocks will have access to updates on the status of their building’s application to the government’s […]
Scam HMRC call reports drop by 97%
Reports of scam HMRC phone calls have fallen by 97% over the last 12 months, latest HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures show, which display a downward trend in reports overall throughout the past year. Reports of scammers impersonating HMRC in phone calls peaked at 79,477 in March 2021 and fell to just 2,491 in December 2021. The fall […]
Senior industry figure joins convey law to aid expansion plans
EXPERIENCED conveyancer, Head of Legal Practice and current Deputy Chair of the Society of Licensed Conveyancers Laura Burkinshaw, has joined specialist residential conveyancing practice Convey Law as a Legal Director. Laura will work alongside current Legal Director Phill Edwards and the directorial team at the award-winning South Wales-based conveyancer as it enters a period of […]
More deals, more risk of fraud?
Stewart Title presents a FREE CPD webinar for conveyancers. End of the year figures show that 2021 saw a massive 47% increase in property dealings resulting in over 1,500,000 transactions. Busy conveyancers know that an increase in deals means more opportunities for fraud. Ensure that your firm has the best practices in place to protect […]
SearchFlow wins £30m contract from communities & housing investment consortium
SearchFlow – one of the UK’s largest providers of legal due diligence data for residential and commercial property transactions – is delighted to announce it has been awarded a contract worth £30 million by the Communities & Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC), to provide a comprehensive Conveyancing Framework for CHIC’s membership of over 200 residential providers […]
How to assess new legaltech for your conveyancing firm
Implementing the right technology can be a gamechanger for how conveyancing firms work—but with so many technology solutions on offer, all promising big benefits, how do you decide what the “right” option is for your firm? At Clio, we’ve narrowed this down to a three-step process, which you can use to assess any new tech […]
A brief guide to solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance (PII) in 2022
An Overview of the Latest Developments Professional indemnity insurance (PII) is among the major overheads UK lawyers and law firms incur in their practice. Although we’ve only just entered 2022, the April 2022 Solicitor’s PII renewal season is rapidly gaining upon us. More importantly, there is a high churn rate of insurance companies entering and […]
Confessions of a cyber conveyancer
In the light of recent scares about the use of technology, while others grab their pitchforks to protect their Sacred Paper, I knew that to offer more innovation, I had to take a punt. After all, I didn’t know if something was going to work unless I tried it. I’d learned from the best – […]
Four local authorities join local land charges register in January
Property buyers in Plymouth, Sutton, Babergh and Mid Suffolk can now obtain the information they need quickly, simplifying the conveyancing process for everyone. HM Land Registry has accelerated the pace of local authority migrations. This month, Plymouth City Council, Sutton Council, Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council joined the Local Land Charges (LLC) […]
Bricks shortages and rising product prices predicted
Bricks and roof tiles are in short supply with demand outstripping supply against a backdrop of rising inflation, the Construction Leadership Council, CLC, has warned. Imports of bricks from the EU and globally are set to continue until three new UK brickmaking plants come on stream next year and in 2024. The new factories are […]
91% of agents say upfront information “must be mandated” – conveyancers share their views
A recent survey taken by PropTech platform Gazeal suggests that an overwhelming number of estate agents want the government to mandate the provision of upfront property information. The survey, conducted during a recent webinar attended by hundreds of estate agents, revealed that 91% of respondents said the government should mandate upfront property information. Another survey […]
Early Bird Tickets for The British Conveyancing Awards released
Early bird tickets for The British Conveyancing Awards, sponsored by Dye & Durham, are now available. The awards will take place on 15th March 2022 as a hybrid event, with an in-person ceremony simultaneously live streamed via The British Conveyancing Awards website. The glitzy in-person ceremony will be a black tie event at the fabulous Church House in […]
Residential property transactions exceed 1 million for first time in a decade
HMRC’s December residential transaction figures indicate a steadying market as the annual number of sales exceeds 1 million for the first time in a decade. Figures show that the provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate for December 2021 sales transactions is 113,470, 14.6% lower than December 2020 and 11.8% higher than November 2021. Although sale volumes for December […]
Diary of a high street conveyancer; 24th January 2022
One of my teenagers volunteers on a Saturday afternoon in the local Oxfam book and record shop. I popped in to see her this weekend, and as always, I am staggered at how many good quality, recent books are available. I think that is to do with the “buy one, get one free” approach of […]
Conveyancing Association launch guidance on cladding to member firms
Following further Government intervention to support the removal of dangerous cladding in buildings between 11-18 metres high, The Conveyancing Association (CA) – the leading trade body for the conveyancing industry – has launched a new “Guidance on Cladding” document to help steer member firms on what they should be looking for and how they should […]
MyIdentity convinces estate agents digital scheme proves “easier and quicker”
Etive Limited, coordinators of the MyIdentity scheme for home buying and selling, announce today that Estate Agents are seeing the benefits of the digital identity scheme. Lantana Estates Limited, an award-winning estate agents based in London, is working as part of the scheme’s Beta test project and were able to carry out the identity verification […]
Welcome to 2022
Welcome to 2022. Given the rollercoaster ride the sector enjoyed/endured in 2021, I’m sure many conveyancing firms will be hoping for a few less ups and downs over the course of the next 12 months, or at least a bigger “notice period” in terms of what might be coming down the tracks. Of course, the […]
If it’s not broken don’t fix it
Previously published as a LinkedIn post, David Pett, Director of MJP Conveyancing, shares his views on the upfront information debate. This might be controversial, however, I believe what I have to say here should be aired and debated. Our conveyancing system has remained more or less untouched for close on 100 years. In 2007 there was an […]
Break down the barriers: the barriers to entering the legal profession
Not being able to get work experience whilst in school, attending the wrong university, the inability to afford the necessary qualifications and fierce competition are only some of the barriers to entry into the legal profession. Third year law student, Abby Spalding, discusses the challenges faced by aspiring lawyers today. The popularity of law in […]
What do property professionals make of “The New Normal”? Find out what almost 800 had to say
Available to download now, the latest research from tmgroup, mio and Conveyancing Data Services (CDS) – “The New Normal” report – brings together the voices of nearly 800 property professionals; comparing how different professions are faring in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and revealing stark contrasts across the industry – as the report reveals: […]
