Consolidated councils risk search delays
The Government’s drive to consolidate councils could lead to house buyers waiting longer for local searches. Merging or reorganising councils to form a single governing body is seen as a way to improve efficiency and streamline administration. For example, in 2023 four district councils – Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West & Taunton and South Somerset merged […]
How long does conveyancing actually take?
In the latest episode of the Today’s Conveyancer podcast, host David Opie welcomes Rob Gurney, Managing Director of Ochresoft to discuss how long conveyancing actually takes; and why lower the lower transaction volumes of the last couple of years haven’t seen corresponding falls in completion times. A new report from Landmark which interrogates the data […]
Conveyancing: The Cinderella Service of the UK Property Market
Conveyancing is a key component of the UK property market, yet it’s often overlooked. Once a cornerstone of legal work, its role has morphed over decades, with increasing responsibility laid at the conveyancers’ door. Add to that, today, fewer professionals remain, frequently managing stress and unremitting downwards pressure on fees. In the 1960s, conveyancing was […]
The Evolving Landscape of Legal Recruitment and Employment
The legal sector, traditionally known for its steadfastness, is undergoing a profound transformation. As a recruitment agency specialising in this dynamic field, we’ve witnessed firsthand the seismic shifts reshaping how firms attract, retain, and engage talent. Three months into our journey, we’re sharing our insights on the evolving landscape. One of the most polarising debates […]
With the SDLT dust settling, what about post-completion?
This latest Today’s Conveyancer Podcast welcomes conveyancing post-completion specialist Priscilla Sinder to discuss the importance of investment in post-completion to avoid costly mistakes. In the wake of March 2025 when SDLT thresholds prompting a sizeable increase in demand and transaction volumes, post-completion work is under scrutiny. Post-completion, says Priscilla, is one of those jobs that […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – What people don’t see behind the scenes
So I didn’t write my diary entry last week. The reason being that I needed to make sure that all SDLT is paid and the applications are lodged with the Land Registry; to comply with my professional responsibilities and also to comply with the lenders’ requirements. What surprised me was that there is clearly no […]
AI Marketing Tools for Law Firms in 2025
Every law firm knows that exceptional legal expertise isn’t enough to stand out in today’s saturated marketplace. To attract and retain clients, law firms need robust marketing strategies that combine creativity, innovation, and technology. However, marketing a law firm comes with its own set of challenges. From adhering to strict regulatory requirements to staying relevant […]
Transaction Tips – Scoping the Retainer
The first of a new series of discussions on the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast, host David Opie is joined by expert legal trainer Ian Quayle of IQ Legal Training, to explore a range of topics around conveyancing. “Transaction Tips” will draw on Ian’s extensive experience in and around the property sector discussing important topics conveyancers need […]
Now the dust has settled, what about post-completion?
As post-completion is the final part of a conveyancing transaction, there is a risk that this part of the process can be seen as less important and not given the required care and attention that it requires, which is also imposed by the regulatory bodies. If post-completion formalities are not carried out to the required […]
Developing better time management skills
Facing the daily challenge of managing multiple cases, clients and deadlines is an easy road to Overwhelm and Stress central. If you don’t find a solution, spending time feeling like this really can affect your productivity, quality of work and most of all, your mental health. Learning some essential tools from a friendly guide could […]
Transforming Conveyancing; a faster, smarter approach
For years, the UK property market has faced one persistent challenge: the slow and often frustrating conveyancing process. Lengthy delays, unclear communication, and high fall-through rates have made buying and selling property more stressful than it needs to be. The average UK property transaction takes around 16–20 weeks to complete, with many taking even longer […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – A salute to the profession
So , fellow conveyancers, we are nearly there… in the hope that there are no issues with the completions going ahead today, I salute you all. It wasn’t about ‘pulling our fingers out’ (yes I saw that comment on LinkedIn and was horrified!), it was about doing the best for our clients and looking after […]
Half of conveyancers confident market stability here to stay
55% of conveyancers say they are ‘confident’ in the current stability of the property market; one third were neutral, and 12% lack confidence according to the first results of a new Confidence Tracker launched by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) to gauge the views of the profession on the current state of home buying […]
Is AI good enough for conveyancing?
As the SDLT deadline rapidly approaches and transaction volumes surge, conveyancing firms are caught in the eye of a perfect storm: firms must somehow maintain service quality while accelerating completions – all in an environment where mistakes carry ever-increasing costs. This pressure coincides with a technological inflection point. 2024 marked a watershed year for artificial […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – No to SDLT extension
So only six (working) days to go… and I note there is now talk of a potential SDLT extension. I think we all await the Spring Statement with bated breath. This gives me so many conflicting emotions but my over riding one is “NO”. Don’t push the can down the road when we are all […]
Joining the property dots for greater enablement
Travis Scholes, Commercial Director at LMS, joins Today’s Conveyancer Podcast host David Opie to discuss the National Property Transaction Network (NPTN); an enablement platform where all those involved in the property transaction can interact in a way that creates greater efficiencies in the process. Discussing the evolution of the concept Travis explains how the last […]
TA6 Consultation – 14 key questions answered
The Law Society confirmed the outcome of the long-awaited consultation into the future of the TA6 Property Information Form this week with a “two form” approach, removing much of the questioning relating to ‘material information’ into a separate form and introducing a 6th edition of the TA6 in March 2026 after further consultation. In the […]
Stamp Duty Changes and the Impact on Law Firm Compliance
Starting April 2025, new UK stamp duty thresholds will come into effect, reducing the limit for first-time buyers to £300,000 and for other homebuyers to £125,000. This means higher costs for many buyers and challenges for firms who must remain the right side of compliance during this busy period. My Key Takeaways The upcoming decrease […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – Good vibes only
There is something reassuring , albeit somewhat alarming, that when emailing another solicitor on a Saturday and not expecting a response, I received an immediate response. This shows the pressure that we are under coming into the end of March. Conveyancers are working ridiculous hours again, and I was pleased to see that one contributor […]
What was home moving like before the iPhone?
Rob Houghton, CEO of reallymoving joins the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast to discuss what home moving was like before the iPhone. reallymoving.com is a comparison site for for home moving services and recently celebrated 25 years in business. In a fascinating discussion about the evolution of online marketing, Rob discusses what the world of online was […]