Chelsea Building Society recognised for mortgage excellence
Chelsea Building Society has been recognised at the Moneywise Mortgage Awards, winning Best Lender for Fixed Rates. The Society was described as offering “consistency coupled with good service”. Jemma Smith, Product Manager from Chelsea Building Society commented: “Over the last 12 months Chelsea Building Society has consistently been expanding its portfolio. This is not […]
Conveyancing Alliance Group launches new broker website
The online conveyancing distributors Conveyancing Alliance Group today have launched a new website focused at brokers and their clients. Broker Conveyancing follows from Conveyancing Alliance’s other broker-only products, which include ‘Convey99’. Broker Conveyancing offers a range of conveyancing products aimed exclusively at the broker market. It has a number of features which Conveyancing Alliance believe […]
Credit crunch generation stuck in financial adolescence
Research conducted by Skipton Building Society reveals that almost half of Brits believe that the global economic crisis is forcing people to remain financial teenagers into their late twenties. Home ownership was cited as the number one life milestone that many are failing to achieve, to ‘grow up’. Other factors cited as life milestones being […]
Marks and Spencer to launch M&S Bank this summer
Marks and Spencer has announced that it is to launch a bank this summer, which it says will bring the trusted Marks and Spencer brand values to banking and offer consumers more choice on the high street. It will be called M&S Bank and the first scheduled branch is due to open at the Marks […]
Law firms warned of threat of cyber crime
The Law Gazette has reported on a warning by a former assistant US attorney that UK law firms must strengthen their online security in order to protect their clients from the threat of cyber crime. Seth Berman is a former assistant US attorney and director of Stroz Friedberg, a digital risk management and investigations firm. […]
Legal Services Consumer Panel urges Legal Ombudsman to accept cases from ‘third parties’
The Legal Services Consumer Panel has urged the Legal Ombudsman to accept cases from ‘third parties’, those individuals who are not the lawyer’s client. This is part of the Panel’s response to the Consultation by the Legal Ombudsman on its scheme rules. This includes proposals on third party complaints where there would be a […]
Legal Ombudsman releases first quarterly newsletter
The Legal Ombudsman has released the first issue of its quarterly newsletter LeO News, which shares news, views and information. The newsletter contains a welcome from the Chair of the Board, Elizabeth France, who talks about the setting of key performance targets, and how the Legal Ombudsman aims to develop its communication with its users. […]
Halifax House Price Index shows growth in May
The Halifax House Price Index has been released this week, and shows that UK house price growth on an underlying basis increased for a second month in a row in May. House prices increase by 0.5% in May, which follows a volatile few months, which a 2.2% increase in March, and a 2.3% decrease in […]
Blacks launch broker conveyancing service
Leeds based law firm Blacks LLP is launching Blacks Connect, a conveyancing service dedicated to mortgage intermediaries, which it says will offer competitive income opportunities to brokers, reports Mortgage Introducer. Blacks is building on its 20 years experience of providing legal services to major lenders and estate agencies. Referal fees to the service will be […]
Legal Services Board sets diversity reporting deadline
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has set the deadline for law firms to provide diversity data about every member of staff for the end of September reports the Law Gazette. The information gathered includes ethnicity, religious beliefs, socio-economic background and sexual orientation. The LSB has approved the planned exercise by the SRA in the […]
A Masterclass on Profitable Conveyancing
This brand new Masterclass will provide the skills needed to make your conveyancing more profitable – click here for full details A Masterclass on Profitable Conveyancing. The aim of the course is to equip the manager or leader with the skills needed to establish or maintain a profitable conveyancing team. It is designed to address the […]
HSBC Panel in Scotland remains unchanged despite changes in England and Wales
The HSBC has retained its restricted panel of approved solicitors in Scotland, despite making concessions to firms in England and Wales, the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland reports. In January the bank cut its panel to 43 firms across the UK, of which four were in Scotland. Under this system any borrower […]
Consumer power starting to take grip in Legal Services market says YouGov Survey
A YouGov survey commissioned by the Legal Services Consumer Panel shows signs that consumer power is starting to take a grip in the legal services market. More consumers are shopping around and demanding fixed-fee deals. However, there has been a knock in confidence in the sector. This is the second year that the survey has […]
Red Tape Challenge to look at reducing bureaucracy in legal services
The Government’s bureaucracy-busting ‘Red Tape Challenge’ is to look at legal services in June. The SRA is welcoming the chance to look at further opportunities to reduce regulatory burdens that inhibit the running of successful practices, using outcome focused regulation as an example of how they are already taking bureaucracy reducing measures. The Red Tape […]
Cunningtons voted Winners in Negotiator Magazine and Property Drum Awards 2012
Cunnington Solicitors have been voted Winners in Negotiator Magazine and Property Drum Awards 2012 in the Business to Business Conveyancing and Legal Support Services category, as voted by estate agents. Justin White, Sales Director commented: “Firstly a big thank you to all the agents that have voted for us. At Cunningtons working together with Estate […]
Surveyors Association announces new Chairman to drive plans for growth
The Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA) has today announced that Alan Milstein has been appointed the new Chairman, to lead its future plans for growth. Alan Milstein is a qualified surveyor and owner of CHIPS Surveyors Ltd, which is a specialist residential surveying business. He will take the post of Chairman with immediate effect. […]
SRA to consult on referrals to independent financial advisers
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is planning to launch a consultation on the requirement for solicitors to refer their clients to an independent financial adviser for investment advice, Money Marketing reports. The SRA is meeting on 4th July and will discuss the Financial Services Authority definition of independence and what type of adviser solicitors will […]
My Home Move returns to profit
My Home Move Ltd has reported a profit for the financial year to December 31 2011 marking a return to profit following 2010. The Directors’ report and financial statements announced a profit of £994,000, which shows that the company has bounced back from 2010 where a loss of £980,000 was reported. The report highlights […]
Wave of large commercial firms joining CQS
The Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme is growing as twelve of the largest commercial firms have been accredited. This marks a wave of large commercial firms undergoing the process for accreditation. The scheme has the support of the CML, Land Registry, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers. Accreditation marks […]
Law Society to support solicitors’ request for insurance broker commission details
The Law Society today publishes its 2012 PII Buyers’ Guide, which provides detailed guidance to all solicitors in choosing brokers and insurers when renewing their professional indemnity insurance cover. This Guide will be invaluable to solicitors at renewal time. The 2012 Guide has a particular focus on the relationship between solicitors and the intermediaries they […]