Ramsdens expand to Wakefield
Ramsdens have announced the opening of their ninth office in Wakefield. Paul Joyce, managing partner at Ramsdens said: “This is the next stage in our on-going expansion programme and is a natural progression for the firm in our aim to provide specialist legal services to people across the whole region. “An office in Wakefield […]
NHBC confirms successful launch of ‘Manage Buildmark Acceptance’ system.
NHBC is pleased to confirm that the launch of the new online system for acceptance of Buildmark cover has been a great success. The new system was launched at the start of November 2012, and by the beginning of February 2013 over 2,300 conveyancers have set up accounts and are enjoying the benefits, which include; […]
Conveyancing Firms, Death by Stealth?
This a guest blog and the views expressed in it are those of the author not those of Today’s Conveyancer. Over the course of the last week I have received emails from conveyancing firms who have had varying issues with a number of lenders, including, the Yorkshire Building Society, the Principality, Nottingham Building Society, Santander, […]
Decision Insight Information Group Appoints Carl Martin as IT Director
Carl Martin has been appointed IT Director (Europe) by Decision Insight Information Group, the information and data provider for the financial and legal services. Martin will lead the European IT function across all of the Decision Insight Information Group brands including SearchFlow, the property search provider, and xit2 the online property data specialist. He will […]
CLC Discipline and Appeals consultation
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers opened a consultation on Discipline and Appeals Arrangements on the 21 January. We are really sorry that we missed covering this at the time, but there is still plenty of time to respond before the Friday 19 April deadline. The consultation comes as a result of the Legal Services Act, […]
Partnership seeks to challenge legal landscape
Peppermint Technology and Brilliant Law, have announced that they will be working together with the aim of changing the landscape of legal services. Brilliant Law, the first law firm to have a corporate structure led by non-solicitors, will be using the Peppermint Platform software to help deliver legal services. Peppermint is one of first major […]
SRA revocation process begins
The SRA has confirmed that it began its revocation process on Monday, 4 February, when it contacted individuals who had failed to complete the practising certificate renewals exercise. As of today, 11 per cent of expected applications are either incomplete or have not been submitted. Individuals who were part of their firm’s ‘bulk’ renewal application […]
Firms announce CQS in time for Santander deadline
A number of firms have announced they have obtained the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation mark, in time for Santander’s 31 March deadline. Last September Santander changed the terms of its residential conveyancing panel to require all existing, as well as new, member firms to gain accreditation. Jane Brooks Law and Setfords Solicitors have […]
Law Society warns firms to check insurers
The Law Society has warned solicitors to exercise caution when taking out their next professional indemnity insurance (PII) policy, and double checking whether the company will be able to meet any insurance claims. The warning is issued after the recent financial collapse of two insurers, Quinn and Lemma. The Law Society is keen to point […]
Land Registry warning: check addresses
The Land Registry have issued a notice advising firms to check their “address for service” in order to prevent fraud. The address for service is the address to which they send notices and correspondence. They say that keeping your address up to date and accurate is an important step in helping to prevent property fraud. […]
Land Registry’s Peterborough office move
On 25 February, the Land Registry’s Peterborough office, including the Customer Information Centre will be moving. The new address is: Land Registry Peterborough Office Stuart House City Road Peterborough PE1 1QF To visit the Peterborough Customer Information Centre you will need to make an appointment, giving at least 24 hours’ notice. Customer Information Centres are […]
Government trials relaxation in planning rules
Following Mary Portas’s review on the future of UK high streets, the government has announced it will be trialling a series of changes in planning regulations. They have said that they want to promote the use of brownfield land to assist regeneration, and get empty and underused buildings back into productive use. The changes will […]
Internal staff fraud on the increase
The CIFAS Staff Fraud Database has revealed a significant increase in the level of fraud committed by employees during 2012. A 43% increase was seen across all types of staff fraud in 2012 compared to 2011. Fraudulent attempts to obtain employment were a particular problem, with a doubling in this type of fraud in 2012. […]
Mortgage lending on the increase
The latest figures from the Bank of England show December marked the fifth consecutive increase in lending with 55,785 mortgages approved. The average for the previous six months was 50,058. This was the highest number of approvals since January 2012, possibly showing that the government’s Funding for Lending scheme might be starting to have an […]
Equity release continues to rise
For the second consecutive year the equity release market expansion continued, with the average customer taking out an equity release plan in 2012 releasing £52,268, an increase of 7% on 2011’s £49,000. According to analysis from leading independent equity release adviser Key Retirement Solutions, the total funds released across the market increased 15% to £961.41 […]
Numbers up for search supermarket ETSOS
Conveyancing search supermarket ETSOS is celebrating its third birthday with a triple whammy that underscores its continued success in what remains a tough market. It reports that it now has 10% of the top 100 conveyancing firms, and 20% of the top 200, with those share figures helping to propel ETSOS to 43% annual growth […]
A case study by OchreSoft
Introduction Gloucester-based Dee & Griffin may be the classic traditional High Street firm in terms of its breadth of private client services but it has also worked hard over the past decade to differentiate itself through its commitment to customer service. An exceptionally high level of referral work and repeat custom testifies to the success […]
SRA warning: May, May & Merrimans
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has issued a warning involving con artists claiming to be from May, May & Merrimans. This is the second warning this week relating to a con artists pretending to represent a genuine firm regulated by the SRA. The SRA has been informed that a number of individuals across the country […]
1000 firms at risk of Santander panel removal
Up to 1,000 firms have just 59 days left to obtain the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation mark, or risk being removed from Santander’s conveyancing panel. In September last year, the bank changed the terms of its residential conveyancing panel to require all existing, as well as new, member firms to gain accreditation. Existing […]
COLPs and COFAs: issues with 1,200 nominees
The SRA have revealed that 1,200 nominees did not declare “potentially relevant issues” — including undisclosed criminal convictions, serious disciplinary sanctions and undeclared bankruptcy. A total of 145 firms are facing enforcement action for failing to complete nominations for the positions. A substantial minority of these have also not begun their practicing certificate renewals, and they are […]