Fairpoint Group seals Colemans acquisition
Fairpoint Group plc, one of the UK’s leading providers of consumer professional services, has expanded their business and legal services stature with the announcement it has reached an agreement to acquire Colemans -CTTS LLP for an initial consideration of £9 million. The group announced on Monday that it has reached an agreement to acquire the […]
TM Group bring national conveyancing conference to your region
TM Group has announced a programme of regional conveyancing CPD sessions around the UK, featuring a range of expert industry speakers. Entitled ‘Driving & Adapting to Change’, the series of five regional events showcases content from TM Group’s national conveyancing conference of the same name, that took place in April 2015 at RIBA in central […]
Searches UK gain Legal Eye Quality Standard for the fourth consecutive year
As market leaders in providing quality conveyancing searches to clients throughout England and Wales, Searches UK understand the importance of risk and compliance obligations, and are proud to have received the Legal Eye Quality Standard for the fourth year running. Searches UK pride themselves on their proactive approach to risk and compliance, with a dedicated […]
First-time buyers reveal new determination
Despite making large compromises on quality and serious cutbacks to save for a home, the proportion of tenants expecting to buy by the end of the year has halved compared to a year ago to less than 10%, according to the latest First-Time Buyer Opinion Barometer from Your Move and Reeds Rains. In June, only […]
The Matterhorn Challenge has reaches the half way mark and the £25,000.00 target threshold
This week, the conveyancing industry Matterhorn Challenge reached the £25,000.00 fundraising threshold, which is halfway to the £50,000.00 target! The threshold was reached as a result of leading search providers, Search Acumen, taking up a Gold Matterhorn Sponsorship Package. Director of Search Acumen, Andy Sommerville, commented: “We are delighted to be supporting and sponsoring the […]
Insurance premium tax to rise to 9.5% – how can we help offset the impact?
Much to the surprise of the insurance industry and many financial commentators, the summer budget has produced a rise in Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) from 6% to 9.5% effective from 1st November 2015. Heralded as a stealth tax by many commentators, the 60% rise in IPT will result in a firm paying a £50,000 professional […]
e-know.net issue warning to the conveyancing industry against using unsecured emails
e-know.net, the leading provider of outsourced IT services in the legal sector has issued a warning to the industry against using unsecured emails. With an estimated £801,009,009 of funds being moved daily through the banks, and mortgage fraud occurring in 1 in 300 transactions according to Experian, it is no surprise that the industry is […]
Snails pace (Conveyancer Slater – Tweet of the Week)
Regret not doing my own conveyancing tbh. Hate leaving things in the hands of people who seem to work more slowly than me! — Ryan (@ryan_simmonds) July 30, 2015
Free CPD Webinar with Pali
Pali have teamed up with Groundsure and are pleased to announce they can now offer all conveyancers practical information and advice in a free CPD Webinar – all from the comfort of your desk! The webinar is set to commence at 1pm on Thursday 20th August 2015, so you are welcome to enjoy your lunch […]
First time buyers moving further afield
A recent report from Experian plc shows that Britain’s “aspiring homemakers” are breaking away from city centres and seeking residence towards the rural scenery. First time buyers are now said to be more likely to purchase a property in the Western Isles of Scotland rather than in an opulent suburb like Kensington or Chelsea. If […]
More than two-thirds of remortgagors who release equity use it to fund home improvements in June
Record low remortgage rates drive borrowers to withdraw highest ever amounts of equity, averaging £34,500 per remortgage borrower – 23% more than their original mortgage Two-thirds remortgage to take advantage of the competitive rates currently on offer Four-fifths of those remortgaging switched lenders Research from LMS has revealed that more than a third of borrowers […]
Groundsure Case Study: Honeycrocks Farm
In April 2015, a Surrey farmer lost his long-running battle with the planning authorities to protect a mock-Tudor castle which he had constructed behind huge bales of hay. Robert Fidler had built the four bedroom castle on Greenbelt land he owned since the 1970s at Honeycrocks Farm in Salfords, Surrey, while obscured by a blue […]
What conveyancers have to know about the CML Handbook changes
The CML lenders’ Handbook provides comprehensive instructions for any professional who is acting on behalf of lenders in residential conveyancing transactions. On 30th November 2015, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) will adjust part 2 of the Handbook, after the removal of the ability of an individual CML member lender to impose specific building insurance […]
Interview with Greg Bryce, newly appointed Managing Director of SearchFlow
Last week SearchFlow appointed Greg Bryce as Managing Director. In an exclusive interview he told Jane Common at Today’s Conveyancer why he’s excited about his new role and what he will bring to it…. How are you settling into your new job? “I’m very excited about it. I’m moving down to Kent, where our head […]
June Market Trend Data from Land Registry
The June data shows an annual price increase of 5.4% which takes the average property value in England and Wales to £181,619 overtaking the previous peak of £180,983 in November 2007. Monthly house prices up 1.1% since May 2015. The regional data indicates that: The region with the most significant annual price increase is London […]
Top tips for PII renewal 2015
You may recall my advice last year for a pain-resistant renewal. I hope that it helped you towards your least-troublesome Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) renewal of recent times. But time has a habit of passing, and when looking towards your next renewal there is insight to be gained from the last 12 months, and in […]
It’s a fracking loss!
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is the technique of drilling down into the earth and injecting fluid (a mixture of water, sand and toxic chemicals) into the ground, at a very high pressure, in order to fracture shale rocks to release the natural gas and oil inside and let it flow out to the head of a […]
Parallel advice from the FCA and SRA on the way vulnerable customers are treated
Today’s Conveyancer reported last week that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has identified the way vulnerable customers are treated by law firms to be a key risk within their Risk Outlook report 2015/2016. This mirrors advice by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who published an Occasional Paper on Vulnerable Customers in Financial Services in February […]
Plentific Partners with Zoopla Property Group to launch new ‘Find a Pro’ service
Helping users to find reliable professionals in their area Plentific & Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) today announced the launch of a new service – Find a Pro – which provides users with access to thousands of professionals and local tradesmen for home-related projects and services. Find a Pro, which will be available across Plentific.com, Zoopla […]
Work begins on £0.5bn investment to create 4,000 new homes
A deal has been signed which will herald the start of a half a billion pound investment to deliver new homes and jobs in Hull. The deal was completed as work began on the first of 4,000 homes which will transform housing across a major city. Construction has started on 67 properties in East Hull […]