Lockdown set to continue till March
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has stated that the national lockdown will remain in effect until early March at the earliest, as the UK comes to terms with the news that we have surpassed 100,000 deaths. During Prime Minister’s Querstions, he told the House of Commons that schools would be the first part of society to […]
Search insurance – Cover, Claims and Common Misconceptions
It is estimated that 1 in 3 property transactions require some form of search or indemnity insurance and yet it is often seen as an ‘add on’ to the conveyancing process. Because of the increasing need for insurance, it should be considered as managing risk not just as selling insurance products. Search and indemnity insurance […]
Vendors grow, but slowing residential property market directionless overall
New vendors were up 9.28%, or 11.22 points, to end the week on 132.13, some 32% above the average and just 2% below the same week last year. Buyers fell 1.36%, or 1.73 points, to close at 125.22, 25% above the pre-covid-19 average and 8% down on the same week 2020. Uncertainty over whether the […]
Under-pressure conveyancing process could be improved by mirroring lettings
The antiquated conveyancing system could be more effective if it mirrored some of the best practice from the lettings process, according to Gazeal. The digital platform says that the additional pressure on the conveyancing process caused by the stamp duty holiday has highlighted its shortcomings and that evolution is urgently needed. Mirroring lettings would represent […]
Register tax advice work now or face SRA enforcement, law firms warned
Solicitor firms could face enforcement by the profession’s regulator if they do not register their tax advice work under new anti-money-laundering (AML) obligations, the Law Society of England and Wales has cautioned. Earlier this month, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) stated that solicitors had until 10 January to check if any tax advice work they […]
CLC pushes back against proposed 19% increase in cost of Legal Ombudsman
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) proposed 19% budget increase is not justified and needs to be revisited, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has said in proposing the creation of an external task force to help it deal with complaints more quickly. LeO is seeking a budget of £15.3m for 2021/22 in light of a rapidly […]
Legal service workers will work extra 20 days when working from home
Law firms are gaining the equivalent of an extra 20 working days a year from employees putting in longer shifts when they work from home, according to new research from Atlas Cloud. The research reveals that by working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic, instead of commuting to an office, employees in the sector are saving an […]