Today’s Conveyancer is pleased to hear that the new Conveyancing Association has issued a strong message to the rest of the industry in one of its first press releases and urges good quality conveyancing firms to contact the Association to join and support the movement.
In what can only be described as a wakeup call to other representative bodies the Conveyancing Association has indicated its desire to enter into direct conversations with lenders to protect its members. We at Today’s Conveyancer, hope that the Association ensures that poor quality firms that have been driving up the cost of professional indemnity insurance for the whole sector and damaging the reputation of conveyancers with lenders are not included in its membership. We also hope that lenders embrace this group to help it manage the risk of working with lawyers.
The Conveyancing Association already has twenty members and we understand that it is seeking to recruit new members to help promote its cause and represent the views and position of its members to support the interests of good firms.
Edward Goldsmith, Chairman of the Conveyancing Association said, “Restricted lender panels are a huge threat for the industry, putting all conveyancing businesses at risk. We want to facilitate conversations with lenders and third parties on behalf of experienced and reputable firms that put conveyancing at the heart of their business.”
The Association states that lenders are continuing to reduce the number of conveyancing firms on their panels, without consultation and that this is the greatest single threat to the future of the conveyancing industry in the UK. By bringing together the leading conveyancing companies they aim to reduce this threat to their members.
Mr Goldsmith also points to the possible implications of the Legal Services Act (LSA) for the industry as a central reason for establishing the new Association:
“In 2011, the LSA will change the rules enabling additional businesses to enter into the market, affecting firms of all sizes in different ways. The possible creation of Multi-Disciplinary-Practices and the flooding of new entrants into the marketplace could significantly change the future conveyancing landscape. I urge industry to take a proactive and collective response by becoming members of the CA at an early stage.”
Today’s Conveyancer welcomes this development and encourages conveyancers to support this group.
The Association went on to explain that is wished to ensure their members remain at the centre of the home buying process, whilst at the same time giving the consumer an improved experience when they buy or sell a property.
Details of the Conveyancing Association can be found at http://www.theconveyancingassociation.co.uk/
We await responses from Law Society and the CLC.
Founder Members of the Conveyancing Association are:
– Ashfords Solicitors
– Barnetts Solicitors
– Blacks Direct
– Convey Direct
– Countrywide Property Lawyers
– Enact
– Eversheds LLP
– Fidler and Pepper
– Gaby Hardwicke
– Goldsmith Williams
– HL Interactive LLP
– Irwin Mitchell LLP
– My Home Move
– Optima Legal
– Pictons Solicitors LLP
– RTL
– Shoosmiths
– Shulmans
– Taylor Walton LLP
– Wilson Nesbitt
