British Conveyancing Awards Sponsor Spotlight: Groundsure
In a series of Spotlight pieces, we are thrilled to introduce our supporters of The British Conveyancing Awards 2021 Alongside headline sponsor Lawyer Checker, we look forward to recognising individuals, teams and companies who have gone above and beyond to support buyers and sellers to move home during the most challenging year the conveyancing industry has perhaps […]
Blow out: Catastrophic Mine Water Flooding hits South Wales Community
For many, Storm Christoph came and went with little incident in January, for some their houses were flooded by the nearby river in a fairly predictable manner like it had done in years past. But for the residents of Skewen, near Neath in South Wales, the flooding came from below ground, erupting out of manholes […]
625,000 properties at risk of falling into the sea
Is your client planning to buy one? Do you know what the implications are for insurability or what really happens if their cliff-top garden collapses onto the promenade below? This and more was discussed in a tm:tv session on Coastal Hazards, as part of the Climate Change and the Property Market series; hosted by Martin […]
Workington: House Demolitions needed after Coal Mine Shaft Collapses
A whole side of a street is to be demolished in Workington, Cumbria after a mine shaft was discovered under the properties. Tim Champney, Managing Director at Future Climate Info explains the alarming evidence of subsidence which has led to uncertainty and concern over the future, especially for those forced to relocate out of the family […]
Are you really as risk compliant as you think you are?
In September 2020, Groundsure launched GeoRisk, a new suite of mining and ground stability search reports . We took inspiration from recent collapse events, in depth customer research and most importantly, guidance from the Law Society in the name of the Conveyancing Handbook. I would forgive anyone who hasn’t perhaps read this cover to cover, […]
FCI CON29M. Creating a New Standard
Available to order from 22nd March 2021, Future Climate Info (FCI) are delighted to announce a new range of Official CON29M search reports to the conveyancing market. Complete with AA- rated Triple-Tier insurance protection, a robust manually assessed Mine Entry Interpretive Report and a specially tailored report layout, the reports are designed to offer all […]
Covehithe – The village lost to sea
Covehithe is a small village in East Suffolk, located on the North Sea coast between the more well known towns of Lowestoft and Southwold. I had never heard of Covehithe until today when I was sent a YouTube video showing the damaging effects coastal erosion is having on this quaint village. Everyone says a picture […]
The 5 questions you NEED to ask to better understand the future of subsidence
Did you know subsidence is the most costly ground hazard in the UK? Around 64 million pounds of subsidence claims were made in the last year – and it’s only going to get worse as climate change wreaks havoc in the hotter and drier summers ahead, yet the full extent of the risk isn’t widely […]
The pitfalls of living with historic mining risk
Quad bikes are hazardous but doubly so when combined with an unstable iron ore mine. A south Cumbrian farmer was recently pulled to safety from a 60ft sinkhole, which ‘swallowed’ him and the quad bike he was riding. Whilst unusual, this is not the first time mines have impacted modern-day Cumbrian life. We look at […]
Why are Easements important?
Easements exist in the majority of freehold titles and so they are important to conveyancers and buyers alike. Easements are certain rights that a person has over another’s land. Rights range from very widespread forms of rights of way, most rights to use service conduits such as telecommunications cables, power supply lines, supply pipes and […]
Budget 2021: SDLT extension to increase pressure on sector
The coronavirus pandemic has ripped a hole in the UK’s finances, and we all know that steps need to be taken to begin to set the UK on the right path once again, now there is light at the end of the lockdown tunnel. Addressing Parliament, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, focused on the roadmap and the […]
Why take a chance?
Protect your client’s property purchases with the official drainage and water enquiry. When undertaking searches for a prospective property purchase it never pays to cut corners. Which is why the CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry is considered such an essential component of the conveyancing process. The official drainage and water enquiry, the CON29DW offers an […]
Coal versus chalk and other mineral extraction in the South East of England
The South East of England has, like all other regions of the UK, witnessed a legacy of historic mining and mineral extraction. In this blog, I wanted to share some information as to the extent to which both coal and other rock and mineral resources have been extracted. Where is the coal? Unlike many areas […]
Landmark Information launches Landmark Planning for enhanced due diligence
Landmark Information – the leading provider of information to the UK property market – has introduced a newly enhanced Landmark Planning report, which uniquely provides boundary data on the majority of the UK’s large planning applications as polygons. Property lawyers and homebuyers benefit from a visually clearer understanding of the extent or potential impact of […]
Industry Bodies Petition Chancellor over SDLT
Three leading conveyancing membership bodies have written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak imploring the government to consider an “alternative” end to the SDLT holiday. Rob Hailstone, CEO of the Bold Legal Group (BLG), Mike Ockenden, Head of Secretariat at Society of Licensed Conveyancers and Beth Rudolf, Director of Delivery at the Conveyancing Association have responded to […]
The First…. to Create Shorter, Fully Comprehensive Reports
Clarity and transparency is essential in any transaction; and the information which underpins a property purchase is no different. This is especially true of environmental searches – a specialist area where some legal practitioners may feel less confident advising on, especially if an issue such as contaminated land or flooding is flagged up. Environmental search […]
Report says clear flood resilience targets needed
The continual wet weather and subsequent flooding issues that have affected all parts of the UK, are adding to the continual outcry for more measures to be implemented to help the property market tackle the issue. Recently, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee has published a report which calls for clear flood-resilience […]
A service you can rely on ahead of stamp duty deadline
With the deadline for the stamp duty holiday looming ever larger on the horizon, already over stretched property professionals are coming under more pressure than ever before. Last summer, the government suspended stamp duty on the first £500,000 of all property sales in England and Northern Ireland, leading to an explosion in demand. As a […]
Planning, developments and enhancing biodiversity
Most developers, councils and people do not want to harm biodiversity, however, it remains threatened in the UK. National drives for new developments and affordable housing have been a major contributor for habitat and biodiversity loss within the UK. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth in all its forms and all its interactions, […]
How to grow your new build conveyancing portfolio
Recent government figures have shown an increase in the number of new build homes being built in England. Robert Jenrick, Housing Secretary said: “The figures show that the number of new homes developers have started building have more than doubled compared to the previous quarter and the number of completed homes has almost tripled. This reflects […]
