Better integrating surveys into the home moving process
This week the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast welcomes Rachel Griffiths Head of External Operations and Panel Management at SDL Surveyors. SDL Surveyors are one of the largest independent providers of mortgage valuations with over 200,000 cases per year. They also provide private home surveys directly on behalf of consumers and the topic of discussion in this […]
ESTAS winners have their say…
It was a double celebration at the 2023 ESTAS Awards three weeks ago, as this year we marked our twentieth birthday and the hailed the best of the best from the property industry. Although it’s been a somewhat challenging twelve months, the cream really has risen to the top and over the last year the […]
How is the UK housing market set to change in 2024?
In recent years, property prices have largely followed a consistent upward trajectory; however the last 12 months have been anything but smooth sailing for the housing market. A combination of factors from rising interest rates, falling property prices, and shaky public confidence have been a perfect storm for the property market that looks to have […]
Demystifying the SQE: A Comprehensive Guide to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) has been a topic of conversation and interest in the legal community for some time. As the newest route to becoming a solicitor in England and Wales, it represents a significant change in the traditional path to legal qualification. In this blog, we aim to demystify the SQE by exploring its […]
Diary of a high street conveyancer: 13th November 2023
When I started practising conveyancing thirty plus years ago, leasehold conveyancing was very different. One of my most distinct memories was being asked to go to a local firm of freeholders/managing agents in the town with a Notice of Assignment and two guineas (but in new money – I’m not that old!) within twenty eight […]
CA ‘relieved’ to see Leasehold and Freehold Bill in King’s Speech
The Conveyancing Association (CA) said it is “relieved” to see a Leasehold and Freehold Bill in this week’s King’s Speech, however urged the Government to also look at other key areas such as the introduction of Commonhold and the Regulation of Property Agents (ROPA). The King’s Speech included a specific Leasehold and Freehold Bill which […]
Course Considerations: CLC vs. SQE Unpacked
In a previous article we discussed which route to legal qualification might be right for aspiring legal professionals by taking a high-level view of CLC and SQE. In this article we will take a closer look at the qualification routes to see what is required to be successful in each and to consider the differences. […]
How Law Firms Should Be Utilising Video Content: Engaging, Informative, and Effective
Video is judged by over 54% of marketers to be the most effective way of grabbing attention. When we’re scrolling through social media, it’s easy to scroll past content. What we need to do is get people to stop and to look at our content. Video is an incredibly useful way to do this. It’s […]
Choosing Your Path: CLC vs. SQE – Which Route to Legal Qualification is Right for You?
Aspiring legal professionals often face a crucial decision when embarking on their journey to legal qualification: choosing between the long established Licensed Conveyancer (CLC) route and the increasingly popular Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route. Law Training Centre specialise in the provision of both pathways, each of which offer distinct advantages and cater to different career […]
Diary of a high street conveyancer: 6th November 2023
I am acting on the sale of a property for a relative who is selling the property on behalf of his father – it is very sad circumstances. It is always interesting to hear what happens in the lives of those selling or buying in relation to the transaction as there are things that we […]
HS2 – What will happen now?
What is HS2? HS2 is a 250-mile high-speed railway line between the Northwest and Southeast, stopping at Manchester, Birmingham, and London, with trains continuing the existing network to Scotland and beyond. It aims to address three key problems facing our current railway network: capacity, carbon, and connectivity. On 4th October 2023, Rishi Sunak announced that […]
The Ombudsman’s Corner: November 2023
Our approach to dealing with complaints about delay Along with poor communication, delays are the most common area of complaint that the Legal Ombudsman receives – last year, 21% of complaints that we investigated were either about an unreasonable delay or failure to progress. Unfortunately, many of the complaints that we see are avoidable. This […]
Who wants to be a consultant solicitor?
The Today’s Conveyancer Podcast welcomes Adrian Jaggard, a Director of Taylor Rose MW and AIIC Holdings, the parent of Taylor Rose MW, FDR Law and Sloth Move, amongst other investments in legal services and technology. The discussion centres on the growth of their consultant model of employment which, since launching in 2014, has grown to […]
The global rise of AI: opportunities and challenges
At the start of November, the government will host the first global summit on artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on the safe use of AI. The AI Safety Summit will be at Bletchley Park, a venue representing innovation and pioneering, and once the top-secret home of WW2 codebreakers. The Summit will focus on the […]
LPAs and beyond – To discuss or not to discuss, that is the question!
This is an extremely personal matter. My ex-husband suffers from early on-set dementia and requires 24-hour nursing at the tender age of just 63. We hear about cases like his more and more but the practicalities of looking after a loved one are still not really talked about. It has been exceptionally difficult for my […]
Diary of a high street conveyancer: 30th October 2023
It is still the case that many prospective clients call the office to ask for a breakdown of costs. Invariably, he or she has already called other firms and may have spoken with another solicitor – or did they? And with that question, I do not mean was it a “real” conversation . I am […]
Special Edition: Property Trends Q3 2023
In this shortened special edition of the Today’s Conveyancer podcast host David Opie is joined by Ochresoft MD Rob Gurney and Landmark Estate Agency Services MD Ben Robinson to discuss the latest Landmark Property Trends Report released recently. The quarterly report looks at 4 key stats drawn from a number of sources including HMLR and […]
Confessions of a Cyber Conveyancer
Ask anyone with an interest in technology how it’s going to change the lives of conveyancers and they’ll say that integration is the future. (They might also say AI but that’s a bit tricky so let’s park that thought for now.) Thing is, no-one asks what integration actually looks like and what is the problem […]
Winners announced at the 2023 ESTAS
Phil Spencer reveals best agent, conveyancer and broker firms for customer service at the prestigious ESTAS Awards. The largest annual event for the UK residential property industry took place last Friday when the prestigious ESTAS Awards sponsored by Coadjute were hosted in London. The unique event sees agents, conveyancers, mortgage brokers and suppliers gather under […]
Finding solutions to better manage enquiries
Enquiries are the topic of discussion for this latest Today’s Conveyancer Podcast. The bane of most conveyancer’s existence, there has been much discussion about the volume, and what might be considered triviality, of enquiries raised on property transitions. To discuss the issue host David Opie is joined by Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership, a […]