SDLT and the unknown unknowns…De-risk your practice
The end of the SDLT holiday was a relief for Julie, a hardworking conveyancer in a market town, relentless pressure from thankless clients, working weekends and evenings for months. Then of course, the SDLT returns and Land Registrations had to be dealt with- it didn’t end with the end of the holiday. Six months later, […]
Is regulation stifling innovation for law firms?
When Raconteur published its special ‘Future of Proptech’ report in The Times, I was drawn to an article that was headlined ‘property solicitors must embrace tech’. The piece, written by Chris Stokel-Walker, focused on the need for conveyancers to “break the shackles of tradition” in order to be able to create a more modernised, digital […]
Regulator extends call for evidence on PII
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has extended the deadline for its call for evidence on the operation of its Participating Insurers Agreement (PIA), to help shape a formal consultation later this year, to 31 August 2021. The CLC introduced its Participating Insurers Agreement in 2016, allowing CLC regulated practices to seek cover from any […]
CMA to get new powers of enforcement
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has announced a major shake-up of the Competition and Markets Authority’s powers. The CMA has been instrumental in the drive toward greater pricing transparency for consumers and more recently has intervened in the leasehold ground rents scandal that has resulted in Aviva and Persimmon Homes announcing they would remove certain terms […]
68% of homes find buyers over past 12 months
New data revealed today from the UK’s biggest property website Rightmove shows that the likelihood of sellers successfully securing a buyer in the current market is at its highest point at any time over the past ten years. The analysis of over 13 million listings tracked the journey of a property going up for sale […]
What is Japanese knotweed?
Officially titled Fallopia Japonica, Japanese Knotweed is a plant native to east Asia. It arrived in Europe during the 19th century, and unaware of its ability to cause harm it was planted freely. It was even celebrated for its pretty flowering branches! Sometimes mistaken for bamboo, Japanese knotweed grows from rhizomes that are situation deep […]
Bishop & Sewell appoints Access Legal to unlock firm’s potential
Central London law firm Bishop & Sewell has appointed law technology specialist Access Legal, a division of The Access Group, as it continues to focus on its three key principles – Purpose, People and Pathway. The 110-strong firm has ambitions to not only be an independent top 100 law firm, but to also be ranked […]
NEW Freehold Estate Rentcharge (Lender Only) Policy
The problems caused by Estate Rentcharges has been a hot topic for property lawyers for the last few years and despite much talk about reform, they continue to be a significant issue for homeowners and their lenders. Many freehold titles (predominately on housing developments) protect amounts due for repairs and maintenance to Management Companies/a third […]
Cladding fund left unclaimed due to qualification difficulties
Almost half of a waking watch cladding fund has been left unclaimed due to a difficult qualification process. New statistics reveal that the Waking Watch Relief Fund introduced to aid leaseholders affected by the unsafe cladding scandal, show that almost half of the fund has been left unclaimed. Property managers and leaseholders say that there […]
Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors mark record year with new office move
Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors has reported a record year as it marks its 200-year anniversary as a firm. Following the start of its financial year this July, the North West solicitors has experienced surges in case volume and turnover, up by 56% and 24% respectively since 2019/2020. The award-winning firm has also increased its […]
The Mindstep Trekkers take on Offa’s Dyke in memory of Max Davies
On July 25th I set off on a very personal fundraising challenge for the Mindstep Foundation which we established in memory of our beautiful son Maxwell, who took his own life at just 22 years of age after suffering from clinical depression. Three years on and eight very good friends and I are on a […]
Handling an annual leave backlog with the phased end of the SDLT holiday
As conveyancer’s breathe a sigh of relief that the 30 June SDLT frantic deadline has passed, thoughts of a well-deserved break over the summer will no doubt be at the forefront of their minds. And the opportunity is real now that lockdown restrictions are being lifted across the nation – with travel abroad now more […]
Residential Leases: ground rents and cladding issues
Barely a day goes by without the media highlighting some of the terrible problems being encountered by the owners high rise flats due to fire safety issues. What should a conveyancer do when acting for a seller or buyer. If acting for a seller what can be done : Point the client(s) towards the numerous […]
Seeing the wood for the trees…
I have had an interesting week working from home as the woods around where I live and my office is now based are subject to a thinning programme involving some amazing tree felling machinery. This leads me to wonder if now that the SDLT window has closed whether we can now draw breath and if […]
Hybrid working to offer greater social mobility
Professional jobs are on the up, but the lack of diversity is stalling progression in professional services. Hybrid and flexible working could provide an opportunity to change the current status quo in the legal profession, according to the Law Society of England and Wales. The Social Mobility Commission’s state of the nation report 2021 found […]
Experienced additions to Coadjute Advisory Board
Following its successful launch this month, leading PropTech Coadjute today announces the appointment of three new Advisory Board Members, further strengthening their expertise and avenues for collaboration with all sectors of the property market. Coadjute (which means ‘to co-operate’) is a digital network that connects the existing software that property businesses use; enabling them to […]
Conveyancers Under Increased Communications Pressure, Research Reveals
The number of exchanges between clients and conveyancing solicitors spiked last month as the rush to meet the stamp duty holiday increased communications pressures on the industry. The data from leading communications provider, Moneypenny, revealed that sales progression calls were up by 20% in June compared to the previous month as clients panicked about missing […]
Improve information for consumers says LSB
The Legal Services Board has published a response to the submissions it received to its discussion paper on quality indicators. Published in February 2021, the paper prompted a wide-ranging debate over what quality means in the legal services market and how best to convey this to consumers. The response document concludes that there is still […]
1/3rd of firms introduced new technology in the last 12 months
A major independent study into innovation in the legal sector has revealed that while the majority of law firms are making increasing use of day-to-day technology, the development of bespoke legal technology is largely focussed on advances which will benefit larger corporate clients. The research carried out by the University of Oxford on behalf of […]
The Digital Solicitor podcast: Making hybrid working for law firms a reality
The pandemic has pushed the dialogue around working from home forward by about 30 years. It has raised the whole topic of how we work and where we work, so how can law firms continue to motivate, support, promote wellbeing and improve collaboration amongst their teams with working from home becoming increasingly popular? And what […]
