Are HSBC in danger of becoming the world’s first non-local Bank?
Paul Hajek at Clutton Cox has kindly allowed us to republish his recent post regarding HSBC’s decision to reduce its conveyancing panel members to just over 40. Separate Representation in Conveyancing: But Only for the Many When you buy a property with mortgage finance, it has been the custom for the Lender to appoint the […]
Fraud gang Solicitor sentenced
In proceedings at Southwark Crown Court Charles Spiropoulos, represented by Mansouri & Son, was convicted of conspiracy to defraud by false representation and sentenced to 4 years in prison for his part in a complex fraud where drug traffickers allegedly recruited a Land Registry employee, a Solicitor and a Bank Manager to help them defraud […]
Ambitious growth plans see a board level vacancy open up at TM Group
TM Group are recruiting a new board member who will help the company continue with its planned growth on entrance into new markets. Established in 1999, TM have seen rapid growth, despite the struggling property market, and are now looking for a Sales and Marketing Director to join TM’s Board of Directors to assist with […]
Comment on Bank of England lending to individuals
Paul Hunt, Managing Director of Phoebus Software, comments on the Bank of England lending to individuals statistics for January 2012, which were released last week. Total lending by individuals increased by £1.8 billion in January. This is a rise on the six month average figure of £1.1 billion. Of this total lending, loans secured […]
Self-build mortgage market: a niche for the discerning Conveyancer?
The Government are hoping to double the current self-build figures and, according to research carried out by Datamonitor, it certainly sounds like this might be achievable. Unfortunately the actual research referred to is only available at a price of almost $9,000 but covers things like: – How will gross lending fare across the main specialist […]
Riliance sees surge in sales with looming SRA deadline
The Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) nomination deadline is imminent. Add to this the publicly announced compliance warnings and you can understand why law firms are under pressure to adhere to the SRA’s new rules. This has seen sales for Riliance’s web-based risk and compliance management solution surge as legal practices attempt to get […]
Lending and approvals by building societies and mutuals rise year on year in January
Lending statistics released by the Building Societies Association show that in January gross mortgage lending by building societies and other mutual lenders rose by 32% compared to January 2011. A total of £1.9 billion was lent, a rise from £1.4 billion. Compared with December 2011 the figure was slightly down, from £2 billion. The number […]
Value of Bridging Loan Industry surges to £911 million following unprecedented growth in 2011
Last week saw the release of the latest quarterly Bridging Index from West One Loans. Gross Lending in bridging finance increased in 2011 by a huge 110% from 2010 to £911 million. This figure is more than £100 million higher than the projections forecast by the previous Bridging Index. In December 2011 gross lending was […]
Lloyds Banking Group to sponsor award at Conveyancing Conference
Law Firm Services Ltd have announced that Lloyds Banking Group are the confirmed sponsor for the “Overall Conveyancer of the Year” award at the inaugural conveyancing awards ceremony. Not only will Lloyds sponsor an award but Conveyancing Panel Manager at the organisation, Paul Sunderland, has been confirmed as one of the judging panel. The awards […]
A solicitor, bank manager and land registry employee colluded to steal vacant homes from the elderly.
In Southwark Crown Court last week a complex fraud was brought to light. Drug traffickers recruited a Land Registry employee, a solicitor and a bank manager to help them defraud developers. The gang identified homes that belonged to the elderly which appeared vacant. They would put up a sign at the house indicating that the […]
Private rental sector continues to grow
.Mortgages for Business have identified that many landlords are confidently planning expansion whilst Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) research show 55% of lettings agents believe demand for rental property is now outstripping supply. Their research indicates that three in five property investors plan to expand their portfolios over the next six months but the […]
New Homes planning permissions halved in 4 years.
Plot sale conveyancers hoping that the first time buyer rush to buy before the withdrawal of SDLT relief will hope that the early signs of growth in consumer confidence will spill over to the new build sector however a report issued last week by the Home Builders Federation indicate a very low pipeline of planning […]
Garguilo v Jon Howard Gershinson (2) Louisa Brooks Joint Fixed Charge Receivers of Desmond Daniel Charles Moore in respect of 140 High Street, Godalming ( Deeds) [2012] EWLandRA 2011_0377 (06 January
Introduction Solicitor and partner Mr Anis Waiz of Mohindra Maini LLP continues his critical review of current case law. Here we examine a very important and perhaps unnoticed decision of the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry which raised two substantive legal issues. The execution of a lease and who has the right to seek […]
WARNING: "ACS Associates/A.C.S Associates" at 88 Bowyer Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham, B8 1ES
WARNING: "ACS Associates/A.C.S Associates" at 88 Bowyer Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham, B8 1ES Information received by the SRA indicates that an office operating as ACS Associates/A.C.S Associates at 88 Bowyer Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham, B8 1ES, is not a legitimate branch office of the solicitor’s practice A.C.S Associates. A.C.S Associates of Station House, Stamford New […]
Warning: "Norton Folgate Solicitors LLP" branch office at N5 First Floor, Jubilee House, Stanmore, HA7 4RY
Warning: "Norton Folgate Solicitors LLP" branch office at N5 First Floor, Jubilee House, Stanmore, HA7 4RY Information received by the SRA indicates that an office operating as Norton Folgate Solicitors LLP at N5 First Floor, Jubilee House, Stanmore, HA7 4RY (telephone number 020 8819 0571 and email address Nortonfolgatesolicitors@lawyer.com), is not a legitimate branch office […]
Landnet 28 available from Land Registry
The latest edition of Landnet, the Land Registry’s customer magazine, is now available. Today’s Conveyancer, bringing you the latest conveyancing news and updates.
ETSOS usher in era of self-service conveyancing quotes for homebuyers
Offered as part of ETSOS’s online search ordering portal, QRS has up to now been used largely by conveyancers and their local estate agents to help collaboration through the real-time exchange of costs and client data. Increasingly, however, law firms have also been using the tool internally to give customers telephoning in instant quotes for […]
Boost in demand for luxury homes
The luxury new homes market has seen a 21 per cent increase in property searches where the sale price is over £500,000, when compared to the same period last year, reports SmartNewHomes. SmartNewHomes reports that an increasing number of buyers are finding that luxury homes are not out of reach. Home owners who have remained […]
Help me get back on the panel.
As well as helping the team run Today’s Conveyancer I am a consultant advising many different types of legal firms, including conveyancers, on a broad range of matters. Increasingly one of the many areas that I am being asked to help is getting a firm back onto a lender’s panel. Often I find cases […]
New Business and Oversight Membership announced
The Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) recently announced the new Business and Oversight Board membership. The new board will watch over the delivery of shared services to both organisations and will also advise Law Society Council on oversight of the SRA. Consisting of equal numbers of members from each organisation and including three […]