Disadvantaged areas stamp duty relief ends soon
The HMRC have announced that stamp duty relief for those in areas designated ‘disadvantaged’ will soon come to an end. This measure will be effective for transactions on or after 6 April 2013. Current legislation provides relief, in designated areas, from stamp duty land tax (SDLT) for purchases of residential property with a purchase price […]
Only 3 weeks left to enter the Conveyancing Awards
Law Firm Services are reporting an amazing response to this year’s Conveyancing Awards with entries coming in from all four corners of the country. Richard Mathias, LFS Sales Director said “we are really pleased with the interest, it shows how valuable an award is viewed, with many of last year’s winner re-entering this year. What we really […]
SRA issues warning over 'Best Choice Legal Services'
The SRA has on 7th March issued an alert over correspondence purporting to have been sent from Yousaf Amin at the address 6-8 Hallfield Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3RO. The correspondence also gives a telephone number of 01274 720642. These details purport to be linked to a firm ‘Best Choice Legal Services’. The SRA […]
ETSOS Case Study: Severn Trent Searches
Severn Trent Searches help conveyancers and homebuyers to find out more about potential purchases for both residential and commercial properties. Severn Trent Searches began in April 2000 and is a part of Severn Trent Services. The company is the official provider of the CON29DW and Commercial DW Drainage & Water Enquiries across the Severn Trent […]
SRA warning on returned revocation notices
The SRA have expressed concern that hundreds of letters and emails they have sent out with notice of revocation have been returned as ‘not known at this address’, or, in the case of emails, have simply bounced back. The individuals concerned only have until the 11th March to complete the renewals exercise or face revocation. […]
Conveyancing in 45 minutes?
We reported last week on the Land Registry’s new Electronic Document Registration Service (e-DRS). Residential Conveyancing Lawyers, Convey Law were a pilot firm for the scheme and managed to make an application, have it processed by the Land Registry and returned within 45 minutes. Convey Law is in the top 10 in the UK in […]
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council Scoop National Customer Satisfaction Award
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council was awarded the Customer Satisfaction Award for local authority searches at the 2013 Land Data Local Land Charges Awards for Excellence. The awards have been running for six years and this is the third time the council’s local land charges team has been honoured. In 2008 and 2009 the department […]
Santander issue CQS deadline
According to The Law Society Gazette, Santander have confirmed that they will remove any conveyancing firms who have not applied for the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation by 28th March from their panel. The bank had previously advised its panel members back in September that any firm who failed to apply in good time […]
myhomemove celebrate a groundbreaking 2012 and reveal plans to treble in size by 2016
Market leading conveyancer myhomemove today announced ambitious plans for growth, building on an exceptional 2012 during which, according to recent HMLR data, they completed more purchase conveyancing cases than any other UK conveyancer. The firm, who deliver conveyancing directly through their wholly owned ABS Law firm, also announced their intention to shake up the Panel […]
SRA issues 4 warnings over bogus law firm details in 1 day.
On Friday March 1st the SRA issued four separate alerts. These notices all warn consumers and solicitors about contact details purporting to be from solicitors. The warning notices covered Simon & Co Solicitors, Shirley Griffiths Solicitors, Lloyds Immigration and Hugh James Solicitors. Three of the alerts warned of bogus addresses for firms, with the fourth […]
SRA issues warning over 'Simon & Co Solicitors'
The SRA has on 1st March issued an alert over the address Unit 7, 275 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EW which purports to be an address relating to ‘Simon & Co Solicitors’. Simon & Co Solicitors LLP is a genuine firm which is authorised and regulated by the SRA and based in Middlesex. The legitimate office is […]
SRA issues warning over 'Hugh James Solicitors'
The SRA has on 1st March issued an alert over the address Suite 04, 497 AJBC Business Centre, Sunleigh Road, Wembley, HAO 4LY which purports to be an address relating to ‘Hugh James Solicitors’. The SRA has been made aware of correspondence using this address, which also gives the telephone number 0208 733830. These contact […]
LMS announce new partnership
One of the UK’s largest remortgage specialists, LMS, has announced a partnership with Chorley Building Society (The Chorley). Chorley Building Society, formed in 1859, is the oldest building society in Lancashire and provides a range of products and services including insurance, savings and mortgages. LMS will offer the building society’s clients access to exclusive fee-free […]
COLPs and COFAs nominations process draws to close
The SRA announced today that just under 97% of firms now have COLPs and COFAs in place. Those firms that have still not nominated individuals for these positions, despite repeated reminders, will now be subject to enforcement action from the SRA. SRA Executive Director, Samantha Barrass, said: "The importance of having the right people in […]
Chance to quiz Santander
Law Firm Services have announced they are running two seminars that will give delegates the chance to openly raise their opinions on Santander’s panel arrangements. Attendees at the Bristol and Leeds seminars will be able to raise any issues they have with the service Santander provides to conveyancers. Tracey Carr and Andrew Winfield from Santander […]
New Home registrations rise
New home registrations are up nearly 30% from the same time last year according to new data from NHBC. In good news for the industry, 10,112 new homes were registered around the country in January 2013 compared with 7,831 in January 2012. More than 800 new properties were registered as part of the first phase […]
House prices increase
According to January’s Land Registry House Price Index the average property value in England and Wales is now at £162,441 after a 1% rise from December to January. As usual, London saw the largest property value increases with an increase of 7.1% over the last year and 2.5% from December to January. The figures […]
Positive signs for the market
According to the latest Bank of England figures the number of loan approvals for house purchase was up from the previous six month average of 51,344 to 54,719 in January. Remortgaging loans told the opposite story, with 25,572 loans approved in January down from an average of 27,527 during the previous six months. Despite the […]
Coal Authority closure could cause delays
The Coal Authority has confirmed they will be closed from the 10th March through to the 18th March. Their offices are closing whilst essential maintenance takes place. They confirmed that no mining reports will be produced during this period. This could be bad news for anyone trying to push house sales through prior to Easter.
Land Registry update on electronic document service
At the beginning of December the Land Registry launched new electronic Document Registration Service (e-DRS), allowing conveyancers to send and receive the majority of their applications to change the register electronically. Since the launch over 700 customers have signed up to the service, with more than 47,000 applications submitted to change the register. We asked […]