Practice guide update: PG1
First registrations (PG1) Page summary: Guidance for conveyancers on how to register unregistered estates in land for the first time (practice guide 1). Change made: Section 4.3.7 has been amended to reflect that we will only acknowledge receipt of the application if you provide us with an email address. Time updated: 6:00am, 5 August 2024
Groundsure Strengthens Leadership Team for Growth with new Customer-Led Strategic Roles
Following the appointment of Malcolm Smith as CEO in July, further changes to the senior leadership team have been announced. With a strengthened strategic focus on customer-led commercial growth and operational excellence, two significant promotions from the Executive Team will work alongside Malcolm and the rest of the Board: David Kempster is promoted to the role […]
Spotlight: Managing complex conveyancing cases without the admin
Managing a large portfolio of properties can be time-consuming, costly, stressful, unruly and at times indifferent to deadlines. Trying to juggle all the return dates and deadlines while solving unexpected issues and managing overheads can drain hours of productive conveyancing time. Our Portfolio Service removes the administration burden for complex or multi-site transactions leaving you […]
Taylor Rose MW changes name after slew of successful mergers
A top 60 UK law firm that was founded in 2009 is changing it’s name this month to ‘reflect the company’s success in unifying business’. Taylor Rose MW, who have merged with Tucker Turner, Kingsley Wood and McMillan Williams solicitors will be adapting their moniker to ‘Taylor Rose’. The simplification of the name is said […]
How can conveyancers boost their AML compliance?
The SRA has made no secret of its mission, partly brought on by pressure from the government, to crack down on firms who do not have adequate systems in place to prevent money laundering. Further reform to the SRA’s approach on financial penalties came into force in the middle of 2023. For all firms, where […]
Client and Matter Risk Assessment Essentials: A Guide for Compliance and Legal Professionals
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s 2022/2023 anti-money laundering (AML) report revealed that only 30% of firms were fully compliant with AML regulations, while 51% were partially compliant, and 19% were non-compliant. Key areas of non-compliance included a lack of robust client and matter risk assessments, inadequate client identification, and insufficient checks on the source of funds, […]
Summer brings seasonal slowdown in home buyer activity
Key demand metrics, such as prospective buyer registrations and viewings, have seen a slight decline as consumer focus shifts towards the holiday season, according to Propertymark’s Housing Insight Report. The average number of new prospective buyers registered per branch decreased from 74 in May 2024 to 69 in June 2024. New supply, as measured by […]
Finding Common Ground: The Lender’s perspective on moving the property industry forward
“I think we can sometimes speak a different language at points. Getting together and understanding each other’s different worlds a little bit better could only smooth that out.” Derek Burt, Head of Mortgage Operations, Lloyds Banking Group Although lenders, estate agents, and conveyancers have vastly different roles, they all operate within the same property ecosystem […]
Deputy PM Angela Rayner to unveil major planning reforms to build 1.5m new homes in England
The Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is set to announce sweeping changes to the planning system in England, as part of the Government’s drive to build 1.5 million new homes. Fergus Charlton, a partner in law firm Michelmores’ planning practice, commented on what we know about the government’s plans so far: “Increasing […]
Average conveyancing costs show strong recovery in Q2
The cost of conveyancing rose by 10.2% in the second quarter of this year compared to Q1, according to analysis of approximately 34,000 conveyancing quote forms on home mover comparison site reallymoving. Published quarterly, the Conveyancing Costs Index keeps the industry informed of average prices being paid for legal services by home movers across the […]
SLC releases Position Paper on HMLR backlogs
The Society of Licensed Conveyancers (SLC) has issued a position paper in respect of the continuing backlogs at His Majesty’s Land Registry (HMLR), which contains clear proposals on how to move forward. SLC Chairperson, Simon Law said: “We fully recognise that conveyancers have a very important role to play in reducing the number of unnecessary […]
BofE cuts interest rates to 5%
The Bank of England has reduced interest rates from 5.25% to 5%, marking the first decrease since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The cut comes as a result of wider economic stability and inflation holding at 2% for the last two months. In response to the Bank of England’s announcement on interest […]
The Diary of a High Street Conveyancer: July 5th 2024
I love the Olympics. I went to the Olympics in London in 2012 and was fortunate enough to be in the stadium when Mo Farah won his second gold medal and the Jamaican relay team broke the world record in the four by one hundred metre relay – that meant that I was lucky enough […]
