Chris Taylor joins GeoSmart Information to lead product development
Highly regarded legal and property product expert joins the fast growing environmental data provider to lead on sustainable development reports. GeoSmart Information, a sister company of ESI, one of the UK’s leading environmental consultancies, continues to expand its team with the appointment of Chris Taylor as Product Development Director. A former founder of Groundsure, Technical […]
2015 was a booming year for house prices and further growth is expected this year
House prices rose on average 6.3% in 2015 and 0.5% in December, according to major indices, published monthly by The Land Registry, Halifax, Nationwide and LSL Property Services. House price growth is expected to continue into 2016, varying between 3% and 6%, say experts. Improved employment, rising wages and a continuing shortage of new homes, […]
Search Acumen sets a new ‘big data’ precedent
Conveyancing search firm is the first to integrate the full Land Registry National Polygon Dataset Title Intelligence 2.0 improves validation and further reduces the risk of incorrect orders Technology creates time savings, giving conveyancers a ‘different way of working’ Search Acumen, the search provider, has become the first to fully integrate Land Registry’s newly released National […]
Charity donations to be made by Searches UK & Groundsure to those affected by the holiday floods
After the recent spell of flooding across Yorkshire and Cumbria over the latter part of 2015, Searches UK & Groundsure have pledged to donate money to charity for every Groundsure Flood Report that is ordered through Searches UK. Ordering a Flood Report during a property transaction to ensure solicitors and conveyancers are carrying out robust […]
SAS Daniels recruits five lawyers to support record property team growth
North West law firm SAS Daniels announces the appointment of five new legal property specialists to support its rapidly expanding team. Neil Powell joins as a Partner in the commercial property team, along with Solicitor Emily Clarke and Associate Solicitors Stewart Smith and Scott Tams. Amy Dickens, also an Associate Solicitor, joins the busy residential […]
Average UK house prices hit £208,000 in 2015
The average UK house price hit £208,000 by the end of 2015, according to data published by Halifax. According to economists at the bank, house prices in December 2015 were 9.5% higher than twelve months previously. Quarterly, prices rose 1.6% for the last three months compared with July – September. Prices also rose month-to-month in […]
Homebuyers losing thousands intended for conveyancers say SRA
Homebuyers are losing money to criminals at a rate of knots, according to the SRA. Speaking on the Victoria Derbyshire show yesterday afternoon after a couple lost their £45,000 deposit to cyber criminals, Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Chief Executive, Paul Philip, said: “In December last year we reported ten cases of such scams. It is unfortunately […]
Councils set to charge VAT on searches next month after HMRC intervenes
Councils are set to charge VAT on searches after HMRC decides CON29s should be VAT applicable. While some councils have said they intend to absorb the 20% charge, other authorities have said they intend to apply the charge additionally or even review prices entirely. Today’s Conveyancer understands that some councils intend to introduce the charge from […]
Richard Barnett may appeal striking off over "shameful" £4.86m unpaid loan dishonesty
Richard Barnett, the solicitor struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) over a raft of allegations, including misusing a multi-million pound loan, says he is considering an appeal over the decision. The 65 year old formerly of Merseyside-based Barnetts Solicitors also continues to deny accusations of dishonesty. He also said he intends to continue giving […]
Eddie Goldsmith predicts "very busy" Q1 for conveyancers.
The first quarter of 2016 is set to be “very busy” as buy-to-let landlords scramble to buy properties before Stamp Duty reforms come in from April according to Eddie Goldsmith. The Chairman of the Conveyancing Association also believes regulatory changes will further open up the conveyancing market as government brings in regulatory changes. Mr Goldsmith […]
Just 13% of Buy-to-Let landlords looking to sell property in view of new taxes
The vast majority of Buy-to-let Landlords are set to stay in the industry despite the tax increases Goerge Osborne announced in last year. According to a YouGov survey comissioned by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) 60% say they will take no action in the face of the increase in stamp duty on additional […]
Bold Legal Group announce series of roadshows featuring InfoTrack and Lawyer Checker
Bold Legal Group (BLG) has announced a series of free educational roadshows in early 2016 aimed at both members and non-members. Each roadshow will deliver a number of engaging presentations – by specifically chosen partners including InfoTrack and Lawyer Checker – to prompt informal discussions that will enable attending conveyancers to address key issues including […]
Old thoughts for a New Year
Flooding It was only last month that I had a few words to say about the importance of searches and enquiries before contract. The horrendous floods we have seen in various parts of the North of England – and indeed parts of Wales as well – bring me back to that same old chestnut. The […]
PSG’s new ordering platform has arrived
Over 1000 firms every month trust PSG’s people and technology to deliver. The launch of their new website and ordering platform represents a significant milestone in the future development of the business and there has never been a better time for conveyancers to look at the benefits switching search provider to PSG can bring. Over […]
How SDLT will change in 2016
The increase to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for additional residential properties, recently proposed by the government, is due to be brought in on 1st April 2016. This tax hike will see 3% added on to the SDLT for buy-to-let properties and second homes and is part of the governments five point plan for housing. […]
Newlyweds duped into handing over £45,000 house deposit to fake solicitor account after scam email
A couple have lost a £45,000 house deposit after transferring money to a bank account fraudsters had told them belonged to their conveyancers. Sarah and Richard Tough, who live near Bishop’s Stortford, received an email asking them to transfer their deposit. A few days later on Thursday 17th December they received another claiming to be […]
SearchFlow forecasts a buoyant property market amid a sea change for the conveyancing sector
Maud Rousseau, Group Marketing and Communications Director of SearchFlow, takes a look at the property market for the conveyancing sector for 2016. “Last year, we witnessed a buoyant housing market with consumer confidence remaining high 2016 is set to be another positive year for the industry. This is reflected in our conveyancing sentiment tracker which […]
First time buyer transactions jump nearly 25%
The number of first time buyer transactions jumped by nearly a quarter in November, according to the latest info from estate agents YourMove and Reeds Rains. YourMove and Reeds Rains’ First-time Buyer Tracker recorded 31,300 transactions in November 2015 compared with 29,900 for October 2015 and 25,300 for November, an annual increase of 23.7%. Correspondinly […]
Broker Conveyancing announce January tablet giveaway
Broker Conveyancing, the broker-focused conveyancing distributor, has today (5th January 2016) announced details of its annual January tablet giveaway. During January every broker using Broker Conveyancing to instruct one of its panel of solicitors firms will be entered into a daily prize draw to win a tablet computer. A tablet will be given away on […]
Two new offices get 2016 off to a flying start as PSG gears up for a year of exciting developments and growth
2016 looks set to be another exciting year for market leading conveyancing search provider PSG as they expand their extensive network to provide even more support to the legal community in England and Wales. The two new offices opened for business on the 4th January and will further enhance the service PSG already provides to […]