OneSearch Direct Launches Industry-Wide Survey For Conveyancers
OneSearch Direct, the largest local search data company in the UK, has launched an industry-wide survey to seek clarification on what truly matters to today’s conveyancers in the UK. Open to everyone who works within the conveyancing industry, the survey will determine where priorities lie when it comes to search providers, value added services, and […]
Avoiding Disciplinary Processes For Inefficient AML Checks
Do you carry out ID and source of funds checks? Join Lawyer Checker and Thirdfort for a free webinar on how Thirdfort can reduce your law firm’s anti-money laundering (AML) administration. Thirdfort is the latest in Lawyer Checkers innovative suite of products helping to defend law firms against the persistent threats lurking in the legal […]
Client Service Improved Through AML Technology
More law firms are benefiting from significant time savings while improving the consumer experience they provide clients by adopting the latest in anti-money laundering and client verification technology. Law firm protection specialists Lawyer Checker has partnered with Thirdfort to enable customers to order the next generation client verification app directly from their Lawyer Checker account. […]
Landmark Appoints Renowned Technologist Gavin Ray As Chief Product Officer
Landmark Information Group, the leading provider of information to the property market, has announced the appointment of Gavin Ray as Chief Product Officer, where he will lead the overall product strategy for the business. Gavin brings a wealth of world-class expertise into Landmark’s high-calibre product house. His experience includes technology management roles at large corporates, […]
Search Acumen Comments On ONS Housebuilding Stats, Q2 2019
Andy Sommerville, Director at Search Acumen, comments: “Brexit has obviously introduced a great deal of uncertainty into developer’s order books as fears grow over buyers getting cold feet and supply chains being disrupted. However, the trend for the decade since the financial crisis is one of anaemic growth where demand outstrips supply. “Amongst this generally […]
FCA Amend Rules To Help Free Mortgage Prisoners
Mortgage prisoners should be feeling more confident in finding a better deal after onerous and unfair barriers have now been removed. Earlier this week, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced that many mortgage customers trapped in their mortgage deals could now access better deals. The new rules encourage lenders to use a more proportionate affordability […]
Fifth Of SRA Regulated Firms Flounder In AML Regulation Quagmire
An SRA review has highlighted a deep issue of anti-money laundering non-compliance entrenched within the legal sector. Over a fifth of firms reviewed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have failed to create the required firm risk assessment protocols to adequately protect against the proliferation of illicit money. In the last year, a new annual […]
Mortgage Activity Resilient In September
Key mortgage market indicators suggest continued stability in the sector, at least in terms of committed buyers entering the market. Net mortgage borrowing remained consistent with previous months, falling slightly from £3.9 billion to £3.8 billion in September, according to Bank of England analysis. This figure means the annual growth rate falls in line with […]
The Difference Between Call Handling And Enquiry Handling
In our first blog, Sarah Brocklebank of The Move Exchange considered how the person who answers the phone in your business positively or negatively affects the caller, and how we might be able to influence and measure that. In our second blog Sarah considers the difference between call handling and enquiry handling and how we […]
Conveyancers Complicit In UK’s Money Laundering Woes
421 properties worth over £5 billion were bought in the UK using suspicious wealth. Stakeholders responsible for the prevention of money laundering through property transactions have been accused of struggling to stem the flow of illicit money, according to the recent report ‘At Your Service,’ compiled by Transparency International UK. Of the total number of […]
Don’t Let The Proverbial Hit The Non Compliant Septic Tank In 2020
Over a million UK homes will be affected by new Environment Agency regulations from 1st January 2020. From this date, all people residing, building, owning or buying a property which is not attached to the mains drainage network will need to adhere to updated General Binding Rules. Currently, around a million properties in the UK […]
Are You Ready For Pro Bono Week?
This year’s Pro Bono week is taking place on the 4th – 8th November 2019. This is the 18th year the week has been recognised. The week is designed to provide an opportunity to encourage and recognise the voluntary contribution of lawyers in giving free legal help to those in need. There are four key […]
Rentcharges On The Rise – What Conveyancing Firms Should Be Aware Of
You may not be a big movie fan, but I’m guessing you’ve probably seen Jurassic Park at some point – you know the one, scientist ‘resurrects’ dinosaurs, creates theme park, dinosaurs run amok, and repeat. In the first Steven Spielberg-directed film, Jeff Goldblum plays Dr. Ian Malcolm and on learning about the park, the dinosaurs […]
LEAP Partners With FileMan In The UK
FileMan, the specialists in records management for the legal profession, are launching in the UK this November as a business support partner to LEAP Legal Software. FileMan will enhance the LEAP product by offering archiving for law firms’ closed files offsite. FileMan saves valuable office space and enables the management of storage, handling and destruction […]
LSB Advocate Increased Use Of Blockchain Technology
The Legal Services Board (LSB) is encouraging more legal services regulators to promote the uptake of Blockchain technology by regulated firms. Research conducted by the LSB has found that only 2% of legal service providers have started using Blockchain technology whilst only 5% of all legal service providers have already made, or plan to make […]
Government Pushes Forward With Reservation Agreement Pilot
The Government is keen to introduce a system of having legally binding agreements to reduce the number of transactions collapsing every year. This month the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government initiated the second stage of research into reservation agreements. Back in the summer, the Government confirmed they would be completing a thorough 10-month […]
SLC Announces Special Feature At Conference
CLC to provide one on one consultation for solicitors interested in switching regulation. With a growing number of solicitor firms expressing an interest in moving to the regulation of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), the Society of Licensed Conveyancers (SLC) has added a special feature to its Conference on 13th November in Derby. The […]
September Mortgage Lending Trounces 2018 But Falls Month On Month
The UK mortgage sector enjoyed huge approval and lending increases when compared with 2018, but floundered when compared with stronger summer lending levels. Remortgage approvals by high street banks increased by almost a quarter in September when compared with the same month in 2018 making the property market seem resilient in the face of difficult […]
Cradle And Grave Investment Increases In 2019
Whilst political turmoil continues to stifle UK residential and commercial construction, cradle and grave living construction remains strong. Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) in the UK has enjoyed record levels of growth in 2019, rising by 5.3% in the past 12 months according to a recent report compiled by StuRents. Overall, 34,000 new beds entered the […]
Communities In Dark Over Millions Of Unspent Developer Contributions
Despite the Government passing legislation requiring councils to publish information with regards to how contributions made by developers are spent, huge amounts of money within the City of London remain unaccounted for. According to research, conducted by the National Federation of Builders (NFB), over £125 million taken from developers has languished unspent in London. Between […]
