Outsourcing – the smart choice?
Outsourcing has previously been a dirty word in the conveyancing sector, but is it time to face up to the facts? That outsourcing parts of the job is a sensible and efficient solution to the many problems in the modern conveyancing world? Recent times have shown that clients and the conveyancing world expect more from […]
Climate change concerns for coastal properties in landslide prone areas
A major 40 m landslide occurred at Nefyn Bay in North Wales earlier this year sparking concern for nearby residents and business owners. The area is prone to regular small-scale cliff collapses due to the superficial deposits of clays and silts making up Nefyn Bay which are easily eroded by the sea. More concerning, however, are the […]
Legal Bricks launch Biometric face scanning ID checks
Legal Bricks have today announced the official launch of their Biometric face scanning ID checks – available as a standalone product or as part of their conveyancing client on-boarding portal, LB Connect. With the rise of fraud within conveyancing transactions, especially identity fraud, and tighter regulations around ID checks and the way clients are onboarded, […]
Terrafirma enhance guidance on natural ground stability hazards
Ground risk specialists Terrafirma has announced a much-anticipated overhaul of the natural ground perils section in the Ground Report. The award-winning report is used by conveyancers to understand whether mining or natural ground instability hazards has implications for the property they are transacting on. Natural ground perils, such as collapsible deposits, compressible ground, running sands, […]
SDLT holiday enters final week…
Thursday 30th September sees the final day on which the Stamp Duty Land Tax relief is applicable. Relieved conveyancers up and down the country will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as the end of the second phase of tapering will see SDLT revert back to the previous thresholds. £125,000 for residential properties […]
Impersonation fraud losses rocket
The scale of criminal activity which leads to financial loss has been laid bare by UK Finance’s half year fraud update. In total £753.9 million was stolen through fraud, an increase of 30 per cent compared to the same period last year. As banks improve their security measures, for the first time Authorised Push Payment (APP) […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer; 27th September 2021
The SDLT holiday was introduced to take effect on the 8th July 2020 in a market that was already busy. There were people who were only just able to move and had sat patiently waiting during the first lockdown, there were those who realised that they needed more space as they understood that they were […]
Developers criticised for “stockpiling” land to be taxed under new legislation
Draft legislation has been published for a new tax that will be levied on large developers’ profits from buying and selling land with planning applications, to contribute to the government’s cladding remediation costs. Rishi Sunak is set to announce the tax on developers with profits over £25 million in his autumn budget, which should raise […]
Conveyancing Workload Issues
I am shortly to commence another series of webinars entitled Residential Conveyancing for Support Staff which has been one of the most popular courses I have delivered over my many years of training. The course is really enjoyable to deliver because of the enthusiasm of delegates and their thirst for knowledge. Frequently they know some […]