Month: March 2012

Really Moving demonstrates an 18% real decline in conveyancing prices in the last five years. Conveyancers all know just how stiff competition is in this market.  There are lots of firms in the market offering conveyancing services.  It is hard to explain why your service is going to be so much different to anyone else’s […]Read More

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) today announced that it has licensed its first three alternative business structures (ABS) Whilst many won’t be surprised that Co-operative Legal Services are one of the first the other two are much smaller firms John Welch and Stammers, and Lawbridge Solicitors Ltd. An ABS is a business providing regulated reserved […]Read More

The 2012 budget demonstrates the determination of the coalition government to build our way out of recession. Long forgotten are the Conservative manifesto statements to frustrate garden grabbing and concreting over the countryside.  What is not up for debate is the UK will need to start accepting that development, no matter how controversial, is coming. […]Read More

The revised new planning policy framework was published today.  Greg Clark, Planning Minister said that the system in England needs reform as it is too complicated, costly and has “ground ever slower”.  Those councils with no local plan will implement the new framework immediately. Those local councils with local plans have a year to implement […]Read More

Peppermint Technology has launched the “Peppermint App Shop” as an addition to their Legal Service Platform, with the idea behind it being to bring together a “wide range of complementary partner products and services” in a one-stop shop for legal service providers. Apps currently available include a document bundling service from Zylpha, email marketing services […]Read More

The development of the Land Registry’s new electronic service, Register Extract Service, has seen them win the top prize in the Delivering Business Value and E-Commerce category at the Real IT Awards. The team picked up the top prize at the 8th Real IT Awards, beating organisations that included McDonalds, BUPA and SABIC Petrochemicals. Land […]Read More

The transaction data released by the Land Registry for February 2012 records shows that a total of 1,020,472 applications were made by account holders.  Of these, 224,939 were applications for dealings in registered land.  This is a rise of 6% compared to February 2011 (210,867 dealings). The figures show a drop in the number of […]Read More

Landmark Information Group have recently launched a new Envirosearch, Envirosearch Prime, for those buyers of high value residential properties with extensive surrounding land. The latest addition to the search offering from Landmark is said to be the UK’s “most comprehensive environmental report of its kind” and features a “unique” polygon search, rather than the point […]Read More

Last Thursday the Conveyancing Association held its All Member Meeting at the Russell Hotel.  The meeting was sponsored by Moneypenny.  Santander and Lloyds Banking Group addressed the group and explained their thinking to avoid fraud in conveyancing. Tracey Carr, Financial Crime Manager at Santander, and Alison Clair, Manager, Secured Fraud External Relations at Lloyds Banking […]Read More

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Government committed to provide affordable flood insurance to homes in “flood risk” areas, with the Flood Insurance Statement of Principles.  The initial Statement of Principles was agreed in 2000 and will lapse at the end of June 2013 with the ABI refusing to renew on the grounds […]Read More

Last November George Osbourne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced in his pre-budget report that the relief for first time buyers from stamp duty land tax up to £250,000 would come to an end last Friday. The relief has been available from the 25th March 2010 but the announcement last November of the end to […]Read More

Up until now the criticism of HSBC’s decision to use only one of 43 firms to act for itself in conveyancing transactions have been held outside of the glare of the consumer media. Trade organisations and media have been debating the pro’s and con’s of the decision since the launch in January but over the […]Read More

Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank are backing the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) by restricting membership to its mortgage lender panels in England & Wales to firms with the CQS mark or which are already on its approved panel for undertaking business lending work.  Michael Webber, Head of Legal Services for Clydesdale and Yorkshire […]Read More

The recent budget announcement will see the single state pension amount introduced and the age related allowance frozen which, according to Claire Barker, Chairman of ERSA, will see many receiving less money following retirement and could lead to an increase in equity release transactions. Claire comments: “The announcement of the introduction of a single state […]Read More

Rob Hailstone founder of The Bold Group is pleased to announce their first conference which is taking place in Reading on the 19th April. The conference is open to both Bold Group members and non members and carries 4 CPD hours. For full details and a copy of the promotional brochure, email Bold Legal Group […]Read More

Conveyancers all over the country are telling me that with the end of the first time buyer stamp duty concession and developers under year end pressure mean that their pipeline of cases are bursting at the seams.  Pressure on conveyancers to ensure all those first time buyers rushing to beat the deadline is significant and […]Read More

In the past most borrowers had some form of fixed term mortgage where the rate was fixed often for 2 or 3 years.  As interest rates fell in late 2009 the incentive to move to a new fixed rate deal diminished because standard variable rates were often very low. The remortgage market dropped from over […]Read More

The Chief Executive of the Law Society, Desmond Hudson yesterday released a letter to members with an update on the situation with the HSBC.  The HSBC in January announced that it had opted for 100% separate representation unless the conveyancer is on a panel of only just over 40 firms. The Law Society as a […]Read More

In February the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) declared a state of drought in South East England following two dry winters.  Caroline Spellman, Environment Secretary commented that “more areas are likely to be affected as we continue to experience a prolonged period of very low rainfall”. Property Assure, the property information and […]Read More

Leading search provider Searches UK has recently published the results of its survey of those working in the UK conveyancing market.   The survey was conducted in March and used a sample of 700 conveyancing practioners. 42% of those questioned believe that ABSs will have a negative effect on the conveyancing industry. One of the […]Read More