The state of the workplace in 2020
It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year like no other. We began the year with Brexit as the big event on the horizon that was going to have unknown impacts not only within the legal sector but more generally. Little did we know that the ‘Big B’ would be taking a big […]
Experts argue MP’s claim that lockdown will disrupt conveyancing process
Conveyancing organisations have disagreed with claims made by Tory MP Bob Neill in parliament that the lockdown will play havoc with house buying and selling transactions during this period. In his claim, he used conveyancers as an example, believing property transactions will be disrupted by the lockdown as a lot of people will not be […]
Law firm offices can open to clients in second lockdown
During the second lockdown, the Government has confirmed that law firms can open up their doors to the public. The Law Society recently met with officials from the government to lock in an agreement and clarify the understanding of the rules that law firm offices can stay open for the next 4 weeks of lockdown. […]
Philip Armstrong reflects on his ’viral’ conveyancing video
Following on from the overwhelming response to last week’s LinkedIn video, Armstrong Solicitor’s Philip Armstrong reflects on the impact the video has had around the sector, the feedback he has had from fellow practitioners and the key lessons he feels we should take away from the sentiments shared. The video, shared by Today’s Conveyancer last […]
Local Land Charges and the future
In a blog published on the HM Land Registry website, Mark Kelso, Local Land Charges Programme Director, shared his views on delivering local land charges and planning for the future. He writes: “Back in March, I was asked to lead HM Land Registry’s Local Land Charges (LLC) Programme. I can recall the excitement of having the […]
How one company director is using the pandemic to review staff structure and practices
“It’s never nice to deal with difficult clients, but it’s a reality of our profession.” While these times remain challenging both inside and outside of the workplace, it has provided many of us with a natural reason to reflect on our lives, professionally and personally. Within the industry we are witnessing continued disruption to normal […]
Feel Good Friday: MoneySuperMarket & Birketts
There have been lots of positive things happening across the sector this week, so we wanted to share these good vibes with you as part of our ‘Feel Good Friday’ news items. Here is a little snap shot of what’s been going on. MoneySuperMarket extends partnership with Optimus for conveyancing and home survey services Optimus […]
Breaking news: Chancellor extends furlough scheme
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the furlough scheme until March 2021. This news comes on the back of England beginning it’s four week lockdown today (Thursday 5 November). The BBC website said: “The move follows several days of wrangling over the scope and duration of the furlough scheme. It was due to end on 31 […]
Industry experts comment on Bank of England base rate decision
This morning the Bank of England monetary policy committee has held the base rate at a record low of 0.1%. Industry experts comment on the Bank of England base rate decision and quantitative easing. David Ross, the Managing Director of Hometrack said: “While there are some negative economic headwinds it’s encouraging to see the Bank […]
Cyber scams on firms Increase by 31% during pandemic
UK businesses have lost more than £6.2 million to cyber scams in the past 12 months with nearly a third increase in cases during the peak of the pandemic, new research shows. From May to June this year, reported cyber scam cases on businesses increased by 31%. Cyber security company Nexor examined police data which […]
What does leaving the EU mean for businesses?
As the coronavirus pandemic takes centre stage, the Brexit transition is still rumbling on behind the scenes. But with the deadline nearing, it is worth taking into account what the changes can mean to businesses and firms. The GOV.uk website has lots of helpful information that can help you to prepare for the transition and […]
The need for digital transformation is a necessity
John Espley, CEO of LEAP UK, the legal practice management software provider, puts forward the case that the pandemic has created an opportunity for law firms to improve their systems by becoming more agile and therefore offering a better service to their clients. At the start of the pandemic many law firms were still over […]
Search Acumen launches first Artificial Intelligence tools
Search Acumen launches first Artificial Intelligence tools to transform property legal work in the UK. • Data insight and technology provider harnesses machine learning to help real estate lawyers conduct property due diligence more efficiently and meet the surge in market demand • Address data cleansing tool reduces hours of work to minutes by cross-referencing […]
Onesearch Direct Responds To Reports Of Abuse Towards Conveyancers
OneSearch Direct, the largest local search data company in the UK, is reaching out to the wider property community to create a unified resource in managing homebuyer expectations during COVID-19. This is in response to reports of increasing levels of abuse towards conveyancers and other stakeholders within the housing industry. Elizabeth Jarvis, Managing Director, OneSearch […]
The Cashroom in 63 seconds…
The client facing part of a law firm is only the tip of the iceberg. Over 200 firms throughout the UK trust The Cashroom with running their outsourced cashiering, management accounts and payroll functions. Find out more about us in 63 seconds… For more information and to book a short demonstration please contact us today. […]
Guidance for agents during lockdown 2.0
Today Parliament will vote on whether the national lockdown announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday will indeed come into force at 00:01am tomorrow. Whilst the logistics of the new lockdown was still being worked out, rules and guidance have been coming out regularly since Saturday. With the vote only a couple of hours […]
Law Society warn, planning reform must not be hurried
Hurried planning reforms will not be sustainable and risk causing damage to the physical environment, the Law Society has warned. The Law Society has submitted its response to the government’s Planning for the Future consultation which proposes widescale change to the current planning system including simplifying the role of local plans and reforming developer contributions. […]
Grenfell-style cladding leaves homeowners vulnerable
Homeowners who own flats that have the same type of cladding that was used on Grenfell Tower have reported that they’ve had to offload their homes at knockdown prices. New rules mean homeowners require an EWS1 form to prove their building is free of dangerous cladding, but there are fewer than 300 engineers qualified to […]
1% rise in SDLT receipts 2019/20
Figures released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have revealed that there has been a 1% rise in stamp duty land tax (SDLT), for transactions that completed in the 2019/2020 financial year. Residential SDLT was said to have brought in £8,420m, even though the was a fall in transaction numbers, based on the same period […]
DUAL Asset Underwriting announced as ESTAS Partner for 2021 Forum & Awards
DUAL Asset Underwriting, one of the leading legal indemnity providers for the conveyancing sector, has confirmed its sponsorship of The ESTAS Forum & Awards for 2021. We talk to Mark Dennis, Head of Online Services at DUAL Asset, about recent developments in their insurance products. You have recently improved your online service My Legal Indemnity […]
