First time buyer market has bounced back, says report
The latest quarterly Property Market Intelligence Report published by Reallymoving finds that the first time buyer market has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels despite rising house prices. The report, which collected data from 27,000 conveyancing quotes completed by buyers and sellers in Q2 of 2021, gives more nuanced insights into the housing market today and […]
London loosens grip on high-value property market as house prices surge
Surging house prices over the last year have loosened London’s grip on the high-value property market, according to analysis of official data by Search Acumen, the property data and insight provider. The residential property market has recovered at pace since summer 2020 when the country exited the first Covid-19 lockdown, fuelled by pent-up demand and […]
Open Banking: Here to ease the growing AML compliance headache for legal professionals?
According to a December 2020 HM Treasury and Home Office report, money laundering is a “fundamental threat to the country’s future security, resilience and prosperity”, costing the UK economy an estimated £37 billion per year. A significant finding in the report was the increased risk of money laundering, due to the high amount of capital […]
Active conveyancing firms recover to pre-pandemic levels
The number of property transactions registered in England and Wales climbed 20% over the last quarter, rising to 290,248 in Q2 2021, up from 241,916 in Q1 2021, according to the latest edition of the Conveyancing Market Tracker from Search Acumen, the property data insight and technology provider. This is the highest number of quarterly […]
Salcombe cracks down on second homes
Salcombe in Devon is the next in a string of second home hotspots to tighten its planning rules by seeking to enact section 106 agreements on new build properties. St Ives, Fowey and Mevagissey have all previously voted to ban the selling of newbuild properties as second homes by passing neighbourhood plans stipulating planning conditions […]
Cladding crisis stalls again as lenders and RICS await guidance update
The Government’s plan to unlock at least some of the property market paralysed by the cladding crisis has faced yet another setback. New hope for leaseholders of properties in low rise buildings was offered last month when Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced that buildings under 18 metres in height would no longer need an EWS1 […]
SRA contacts 500 firms for price transparency compliance declaration
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched its latest crackdown on price transparency compliance. The regulator has this week contacted nearly 500 law firms to request completion of a questionnaire and signed declaration the firm is compliant with the SRA Transparency Rules. It has requested the completion of the declaration by 14th August. The SRA has also […]
“It’s NOT OK not to be OK”
I recently had the pleasure to attend a webinar hosted by the Conveyancing Foundation to discuss the work the Group Transformation Division at Lloyds Banking Group have been doing to support colleague’s mental, physical & emotional wellbeing during this difficult period. The objective was to share experiences from different organisations and industries; at LBG we […]
Today’s Conveyancer talks to Michael Connelly, MD at Legal Bricks
Today’s Conveyancer talk to Michael Connelly, MD of search provider Legal Bricks about his experiences of the challenges of the last 12 months and what Legal Bricks are doing to innovtae their product offering to help practitioners. TC: Can you provide a brief introduction to Legal Bricks and tell us what you do as […]
Undertakings, Advice and Information – Key Recent Developments in Residential Conveyancing
There have been two recent cases which generate issues going to the heart of the conveyancing process. The first issue relates to the giving of undertakings. The case of Harcus Sinclair LLP v Your Lawyers Ltd [23.07.21] raises the important practical point of from whom an undertaking can be received. The case throws into focus […]
LEAP announces partnership with The Law Society
LEAP, the leading practice management software provider, is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with the Law Society. After a rigorous process of due diligence, the Law Society has appointed LEAP as a Strategic Partner for case management, accounting and other legal software. This agreement will see the two organisations work in tandem for the benefit […]
Climate change concerns for coastal properties in landslide prone areas
A major 40 m landslide occurred at Nefyn Bay in North Wales earlier this year sparking concern for nearby residents and business owners. The area is prone to regular small-scale cliff collapses due to the superficial deposits of clays and silts making up Nefyn Bay which are easily eroded by the sea. More concerning, however, […]
“National investment” plan following FJG acquisition
Private Equity firm Blixt Group has invested in Essex based Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP solicitors (FJG). It is the first foray into the legal services sector for Blixt for whom FJG will “become a springboard for further acquisitions over the next 3 to 4 years.” The Blixt Group has indicated it has access to significant […]
How will pandemic lessons shape the future of conveyancing?
InfoTrack’s Bronwyn Townsend and Osprey Approach’s Amy Bruce consider the behavioural changes and alternative processes that have been adopted by the conveyancing industry since March 2020. They share their views on whether these changes should be embedded into everyday practices, and if so how. The past 18 months have presented unique challenges for conveyancing departments. […]
Legal oversight regulator’s arrangement processes are headed in the right direction
The Legal Services Board’s (LSB) proposed new rules and guidance for changes to regulatory arrangements are a significant improvement, the Law Society of England and Wales said today. The oversight regulator is seeking views from the ten approved legal services regulators on how they seek the LSB’s approval for alterations to their regulatory arrangements. The […]
How digital onboarding can give your firm competitive advantage
In today’s world of e-commerce and online banking, consumers expect instant access to services in a safe and secure environment. In the legal industry, meeting the needs and expectations of clients is key in an evolving, challenging and competitive legal environment. Unrivalled client experience differentiates law firms from competitors and added value will give fee […]
LB-Connect – The final piece in the property puzzle
Legal Bricks has launched LB-Connect – “The final piece in the property puzzle”. Our solution offers law firms an intuitive white labelled platform, which specifically deals with client on-boarding and aims to reduce transaction times, increase efficiencies and reduce errors. What’s the aim of LB-Connect? In the digital age of immediacy where there’s an expectation […]
LawTech must comply with highest ethical standards
The Law Society of England and Wales has published the outcomes from its LawTech, Ethics and the Rule of Law discussion paper, unveiling a set of principles and guidance that would be beneficial for the solicitors’ profession. In the face of Covid-19, the justice system moved online, pushing the profession to modernise quicker than expected. […]
Search Acumen launches new digital onboarding solution eCOS following its acquisition by InfoTrack
Search Acumen, the property data insight and technology provider, has added electronic client onboarding solution (eCOS) to its suite of digital conveyancing tools, equipping legal firms with a fast, digital process to communicate with their clients. The launch represents the first technology-sharing arrangement between the business and its new owners, InfoTrack, one of the world’s […]
Why does Planning matter?
Why does Planning matter? Change is inevitable. We don’t always like it, and some may oppose it. It’s not really being told about the change that should concern us but how we understand it within the bigger picture and whether that change will have an impact, be that good or bad. Ignoring the future to […]