Future Climate Info Launches Fixed Fee Consultancy Service
Following the launch of new and enhanced Commercial Environmental Risk Reports, Future Climate Info (FCI) has created a quick, cost effective and robust route to investigate and solve potential environmental liabilities flagged in reports. A residential or commercial environmental search may have highlighted possible liabilities associated with the ‘Contaminated Land’ regime. FCI Appraisal utilises in-house […]
AML Experts Call For Greater Collaboration And Education
Despite the increasing losses to money laundering in recent years, almost two thirds of industry experts believe that current legislation regarding money laundering is robust and improving. However, it is clear that improvements are still needed. A new report has concluded that the UK needs a deeper talent pool of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) specialists (33%), […]
Digging Beneath The Surface Of Blockchain Property Transactions
Earlier in April, Today’s Conveyancer wrote about the completion of the first full property transaction based on distributed ledger technology. The pilot, carried out in partnership with the Instant Property Network (IPN) and using R3 Marketplace’s ‘blockchain’ platform known as ‘Corda’, brought together property law firms, lenders and software developers. While most in the conveyancing […]
CMA Launch Investigation Into Mis-Selling Of Leasehold Property
The Competition Markets Authority (CMA) have revealed that they are launching an investigation into the mis-selling of leasehold property. In a letter to the committee chair of HCLGC, Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA, emphasised the need to investigate the most onerous areas of leasehold property including permission fees, doubling ground rents and other […]
Government Unveil Plans To Unmask Secret Foreign Property Owners
A cross-house, joint committee draft bill has pledged to establish a register, held by Companies House, which will ‘force overseas entities, looking to purchase land in the UK would be required to enter information about their beneficial owners’. The UK has been long known for its democratic political environment, independent legal system and strict financial […]
Trustpilot Are Bringing You An Insightful Webinar: How To Make Your Website Your Hardest Working Employee
Trustpilot have teamed up with Today’s Conveyancer to bring you an insightful webinar on how to make your website your hardest working employee. Conveyancing is in the midst of a digital revolution. From Land Registry’s Digital Street through to eSigning mortgage documents, the way conveyancers do business is changing rapidly. It has never been more important to start investing […]
SearchFlow Launches Free CPD Event For Property Lawyers
Hilton Hotel, Deansgate, Manchester – Tuesday 18th June 2019, from 08:45 to 13:00 SearchFlow – the UK’s leading provider of search solutions and legal reports – is hosting a free CPD event that provides property lawyers, conveyancers and legal secretaries with guidance on Anti-Money Laundering (AML), cybersecurity and emerging technologies. The event, which is taking […]
Magic Circle Law Firm’s Email Domain Targeted Three Times In Four Months
Global law firm and magic circle firm, Linklaters, have been peppered by cyber criminals in 2019 and have fallen foul of scammers attempting to use their name in phishing fraud attempts for the third time this year and second time in a month. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has found that emails were sent in […]
Current Property Market Offers Perfect Storm For First-Time Buyers
Current market conditions have been likened to the perfect storm for first time buyers (FTBs) looking to make their first home purchase. A combination of stalling house prices, the Help to Buy ISA scheme and advantageous mortgage rates mean that chain free buyers are able to take advantage of the buyers-market and snap up a […]
SRA Warn Conveyancers And Solicitors Over Fresh Phishing Scam
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are warning its members of another high profile email conveyancing scam that is currently targeting a number of conveyancing firms. A number of solicitors have been sent an email claiming to be from SRA regulated law firm, Percy Short & Cuthbert. The email’s content convincingly references a revision to a […]
Time Properties Spend On The Market Increase Whilst Instructions Fall
The property market is struggling to move beyond a snail’s pace with the time it takes between instruction and completion now at their slowest rate in five-years. According to recent data from Homes.co.uk, the average (median) time a property is spending on the market is now 89 days. In May 2018, this figure was only […]
COLP Role Widening Under New SRA Regulations
On November 25th any law firm registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will need to ready themselves for significant regulatory changes. In particular, the role of a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) seems to have widened considerably, broadening the scope of duties expected of the person appointed to the role. Whilst the COLP […]
InTouch: Winston Solicitors Case Study
Winston Solicitors LLP, are an established Leeds Law firm, providing a complete range of services for individuals and businesses. We spoke to Camilla Asher, Practice Manager of Winston Solicitors to find out why they chose to replace their existing case management system with InTouch. What prompted you to seek InTouch’s services. What situation or problem […]
EU Movers Avoid The UK As Brexit Fog Thickens
Brexit frustrations have spread across the pond as disillusioned Europeans are opting to avoid moving to the UK whilst political and economic uncertainty rampages through the continent. An analysis of over 100,000 international removals quotes from reallymoving has found a dramatic downward spiral of intent from members of the EU moving to the UK. In […]
Flooding: “Plan For The Worst” Says Environment Agency
In a stark warning, the Environment Agency (EA) has announced that entire communities might need to be relocated from coasts and rivers. They state that urgent action is needed now for the UK to prepare for an average global temperature rise of 4˚C. In setting out the agency’s long term strategy for tackling flooding and […]
The 14-Point Leasehold Pledge And The Freeholder Perspective
In March, 40 house builders and developers signed up to a voluntary 14-point pledge designed to end the practice of unfair and onerous leaseholds. Many of the most influential home builders have committed themselves to the pledge that also includes the Home Building Federation. Throughout the past decade, a multitude of leaseholders have vented their […]
Longest Uninterrupted Sequence Of Declining Landlord Instructions Since Records Began
The housing stock entering the UK property market is at its lowest levels since the UK decided to leave the EU in June 2016. Similarly, the decline in landlord instructions has consecutively fallen for almost 3 years, representing the longest continual fall since records began in 1998. According to the RICS UK Residential Market Survey […]
Government ‘How To’ Guides Emphasise Importance Of Price And Service Transparency
Conveyancer transparency in the home buying and selling sector was emphasised earlier today as the government published their detailed ‘how to’ guides on buying and selling property. The reports emphasise that consumers should be savvy in who they choose to instruct to sell their home. Alluding to recent regulatory changes, the government highlighted that sellers […]
SRA Discipline 26 Firms Following Severe Money Laundering Failings
26 Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) regulated firms out of a sample size of just 59 law firms providing trust and company services (TCSP) have been placed into the SRA’s disciplinary process for inadequate money laundering procedures. The review focused on the creation and administration of trusts and companies on behalf of clients, an area of […]
Unique Commercial Environmental Report For Small Business Retailers Launched
Future Climate Info, the Innovative environmental data provider, has today launched a new environmental risk report dedicated to the specific needs of retailers and small businesses. Until now, Commercial property lawyers have had to purchase large, frequently over complex data reports that covered an often unnecessary wide area that would not be relevant for the […]