InfoTrack and Lawyer Checker to deliver educational webinars focused on the growing threat of fraud
InfoTrack and Lawyer Checker have announced a new webinar designed to help conveyancers understand what can be done to protect themselves from fraudulent activity. Identity theft and fraud continue to increase significantly for both the conveyancer and law firms. Subsequently, it is imperative for law firms to protect their business using the necessary tools available. […]
Pali launches new revolutionary system for conveyancers
Pali is pleased to announce they can now offer their solicitor clients a streamlined system that will allow anyone within their firm to quote prospective clients for conveyancing either face to face, over the telephone or via email, in seconds. By simply entering basic information, this new facility will calculate the quote in real time […]
Eddie Goldsmith, Chairman of the Conveyancing Association's predictions for 2016
Private tenants are set to bear the brunt of the Government’s move to encourage homebuying, according to Eddie Goldsmith, Chairman of the Conveyancing Association (CA). Mr Goldsmith also isn’t holding his breath for the market to fill the gap left behind with the failure of Veyo. Making his predictions for the New Year, Eddie Goldsmith […]
Mortgage Advice Bureau buys stake in online conveyancing hub
The Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) have bought a stake in online conveyancing hub Sort Refer. The sale of a 23% stake in Sort Refer’s parent company Sort Ltd for £350,000 is being funded out of the independent mortgage broker’s existing cash resources. Peter Brodnicki, CEO of Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: “The combination of legal and […]
Firms warned to be prepared for "ransomware"
Specialist malware attacks by viruses nicknamed “Ransomware” are on the rise, according to experts, with twice as many attacks globally in 2015 as in 2014. The malware works by encrypting files and demanding a ransom – usually in bitcoins – to decrypt the files. In light of attacks in the US law enforcement officials have […]
Cyber scams cause continuous chaos
Friday afternoon computer issues are the last thing any Conveyancer needs, but how often is a phishing email put down to IT issues? At the busiest of times it is easy to overlook simple spelling errors, a slight change in email addresses and an inconsistent use of telephone numbers. The Government recently introduced a ‘Cyber […]
House prices continue to rise according to ONS
House prices have continued their rise into October according to statistics released today. According to the Office for Natinoal Statistics (ONS) UK house prices rose 7% in the year to October, compared with 6.1% in the year to September. The seasonally adjusted monthly rise was 0.8% from September to October. According to the ONS, release […]
Mortgage lending up 8% in October
The number of loans taken out for house purchase rose 8% compared with October 2014. The number of first time buyers taking out loans also rose with an 8% rise month to month, or 3% year on year, according to information released by the Council for Mortgage Lenders (CML). In total £7.1 billion was borrowed […]
Electronic identity checks can safeguard the conveyancing industry from fraudsters
The news of a young woman being duped into handing over £1.35 million to a person purporting to be the legal owner of the property was reported in the Daily Mail last week. It serves as another stark reminder of the risk of fraud in the conveyancing sector. Maud Rousseau, Group Marketing and Communications Director […]
Woman hands £1.35 million to scammers selling someone else's house
A woman has been left in “distress” after handing over a cheque for £1.35 million to buy a house only to find out the seller wasn’t the real owner. Max and Penny Hastings had been letting a west London house to a man calling himself “Kevin Hafter”, with the property listed with estate agents after […]
Stock levels crash but price hikes take a seasonal pause
The total stock of property for sale, which was already at unprecedented low levels, has diminished by a further 16% since December last year. Asking prices remain unchanged overall since last month. The average annual home price appreciation for England and Wales rises further to 8.0%, driven by lack of supply and cheap borrowing. Typical […]
Matterhorn Challenge – target reached!
The Matterhorn Challenge reached its final conclusion at the Conveyancing Association (CA) Conference and Dinner held at Stamford Bridge, London on the 3rd December 2015. Conveyancing Association sponsors, members and delegates collectively raised the last £3,000.00 required to reach the £50,000.00 target for the Ty Hafan Children’s Hospice. A very special thanks to conference organisers […]
Thousands have their say on solicitors' standards
More than 4,000 people have already had their say in a national campaign looking at what should happen when solicitors fall short of expected standards. ‘A Question of Trust’, launched two months ago by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), uses scenarios based on real-life cases to ask how seriously the issues are and what action […]
Searches UK deliver accurate and reliable data directly from the council
Searches UK understand the importance of providing their clients with reliable and accurate search information which comes directly from the original source of data. They acknowledge the significance of maintaining up to date and complete records for properties in relation to environmental issues, local authority matters, flood risks and more. With over 40 search agents, […]
Pali expands yet again
Pali are pleased to announce the opening of their new office, Pali Fylde. The Fylde Office have a wealth of experience in both the legal sector and the property industry and the new office is due to start trading early 2016. Jo Milne, Marketing Director at Pali HQ said: ‘We are delighted to launch another […]
Searching market set for upheaval in 2016 according to InfoTrack UK’s Scott Bozinis
Scott Bozinis launched InfoTrack UK on 7th July after moving to the UK just over a year ago. He previously worked at the Australian branch of the conveyancing search platform, and believes searching and conveyancer services are set for a year of change in 2016. While searches have improved with more detailed flood and environmental […]
SRA's centralised exam "nothing new" say educators
The Solicitor’s Regulation Authority’s (SRA’s) proposed new centralised qualifying exam for solicitors has been criticised as “nothing new” by teaching professionals. At a recent Westminster Legal Policy Forum conference, Rebecca Huxley-Binns of the Association of Law Teachers added that qualifying solicitors would still need workplace training, vocational training, and a law conversion course for those […]
"All major barriers" to home ownership falling
All of the obstacles to buying a house, such as raising a deposit or a lack of job security have fallen according to research by the Building Societies Association (BSA). Raising a deposit is still cited as a major problem by 52% of the 2,000 respondents, but this has dropped from 59% as surveyed in […]
"Community Led Projects" key to tackling NIMBYism in housebuilding
Opening up planning further to local communities could help tackle “Not In My Back Yard” or NIMBY-ism, an often cited obstacle to housebuilding according to a leading think tank. The report by cross-party think tank, Demos, states that communities often become antagonistic to large planning applications because of a “significant lack of trust” in the […]
Tributes paid to "larger than life" West Midlands Solicitor Martyn Morgan
Tributes have been paid to a Martyn Morgan of Quality Solicitors Talbots who has died after a short illness aged 60. He leaves behind his wife Mary, daughters Abby, Charli, Danielle, Hannah and son Ben. The Stourbridge-born residential property specialist was known for his sense of humour and commitment to delivering high quality legal services […]