An outline agenda for National Conveyancing Week has been released with the event just 8 weeks away. Attendance is encouraged from around the property industry with the agenda providing a range of topics and speakers who will appeal to lenders, mortgage brokers, estate agents and conveyancers.
National Conveyancing Week has been launched by Bold Legal Group founder and CEO Rob Hailstone to raise the profile and understanding of the important role conveyancers play in the home moving process.
Explains Rob
“Conveyancing is on the whole largely misunderstood by much of the other moving parts of the home moving process. Yes, there are some who deserve their reputation, but for the most part conveyancers are hard-working, diligent and caring people who want only to help their clients achieve their dream home move.”
“Given the volatile and at times vitriolic nature of the relationship, particularly between estate agents and conveyancers, it feels important to try and foster greater engagement and understanding between the two parties.”
National Conveyancing Week will take place between 20th March and 24th March 2023 and will host a series on on-demand, virtual and live events designed to “inform; educate; assist; motivate; reassure; help recruit new entrants; improve the profile of conveyancers and conveyancing; and ensure fees can be set at and kept at an acceptable level.”
The agenda, which is now available to view on the National Conveyancing Week website, will focus on a number of key themes and speakers throughout the week designed to bring the home moving industry together; including collaboration, recruitment and retention, lender updates and training (including an introduction to conveyancing session designed to myth bust for those not directly involved in conveyancing).
One of the highlights of the week will be a Conveyancing Foundation Coffee Morning at which conveyancers are being encouraged to throw open their doors and invite referrers, mortgage brokers and estate agents in to the office to show them more about what they do. The morning will be in aid of the Conveyancing Foundation which has raised nearly £1m for good causes to date.
Importantly National Conveyancing Week is completely free to all those who wish to engage with it, with the organisers keen to point to the Commercial Supporters who have provided both their backing and financial support.
“We are incredibly grateful to our commercial supporters who have thrown their weight behind this not because they anticipate a commercial gain, but because the home moving profession/industry is our livelihoods, puts a roof over our heads and food on our tables.”
Says Rob Hailstone.
If you would like to show your support for National Conveyancing Week
- As a law firm: please send your logo to info@conveyancingweek.co.uk for inclusion on the “Law Firm Supporters” page.
- As a commercial supporter: please contact Rob on info@conveyancingweek.co.uk for inclusion on the “Supporters” page.
- Shared on social using the #NatConveyWk2023
A “Resources” hub is now live on the website with links to download imagery for websites, social media, and blogs showing your support for National Conveyancing Week.
National Conveyancing Week 2023 Agenda
- Monday 20th March
Morning: Recruitment & Retention
Recruiting and retaining good staff is a national issue for the conveyancing industry, especially as the role of property lawyers is often viewed as stressful and undervalued. Recruiting is also time-consuming and can be expensive, and the effect of a high turnover of staff can cause service issues for clients and unsettle other members of the firm.
In this session, we look at recruitment and retention strategies that actually work and delve further with our panel experts into key issues like the below questions.
- What got you into conveyancing?
- What keeps you in conveyancing?
- How can we attract newcomers?
Afternoon: Conveyancing as a business
Using value pricing to protect your fees
Conveyancing fees have been lower than they should be for many years, taking into account the knowledge required by conveyancers and the risks and pressures involved. Fees did see a slight improvement during the Pandemic, but what should/could be done to ensure that conveyancers do not embark on yet another race to the bottom whilst the economy is in a fragile state?
Managing panel managers to make the most of the relationship
Love them or loathe them, you can’t ignore them, and as market conditions tighten are panel managers a sensible route to obtaining new work?
A panel of front-line conveyancers will discuss the pros and cons of panel managers and why some law firms work with them, and why some don’t.
Avoiding or resolving Client Conflict
Clients have the right to complain if they feel the service they receive is not best practice, but how you respond can make a huge difference to your continued relationship with the client and reputation as a whole. In this session, we will get insights from the Ombudsman on the most common types of complaints about conveyancers and how they should be avoided and resolved. We will also look at complaint handling generally, be that in person on online.
- Tuesday 21st March
Morning: Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Over the last two years or so conveyancers have been incredibly busy and suffered stress and in many cases burnout. What measures can be put in place to reduce the risks and to help those who have suffered?
Law firm, Elite Conveyancing, has recently employed its very own in-house corporate psychologist, to help keep its lawyers in peak performance and to promote well-being throughout the business. Is this the way forward?
Upfront Information to reduce transaction times
Live panel debate on why transaction times are getting longer and why estate agents should encourage sellers to instruct a conveyancer when they first market a property so that the conveyancer can begin preparing a Property Pack. With the gradual introduction of the new Material Information requirements taking place, is earlier conveyancer engagement a sensible and foregone conclusion?
Afternoon: The British Conveyancing Awards 2023
- Wednesday 22nd March
Morning: Collaboration
Collaboration with agents, clients, mortgage advisors, and others
Firms will open up their offices for an hour or two and offer coffee and cakes to local estate agents, IFAs, property-related businesses, introducers, referrals networks business people, and their clients. They can explain what methods and processes they have in place to ensure client satisfaction and confidentiality whilst complying with a significant amount of regulation. Collaboration, understanding, empathy and friendship- these are all the core themes of National Conveyancing Week. Any funds raised will go to The National Conveyancing Foundation
We want to encourage social sharing of these events happening around the country.
National Conveyancing Week Law firm supporters can purchase at a reduced rate promotional and celebratory material to display in their offices. Links to purchase these packs will follow shortly.
Afternoon: Lenders and Market Update
Lenders
How can conveyancers and lenders improve the way they work together?
What are the frustrations felt by both and how can they be overcome?
What do conveyancers want lenders to do?
What do conveyancers want to know about the current lending market?
How can lenders improve from a practical point of view?
What housing market predictions do lenders have for the remainder of 2023 and beyond?
- Thursday 23rd March
Morning: Practicalities of a better working relationship with Estate Agents
What can agents do (and what can they stop doing) to assist conveyancers?
What can conveyancers do (and what can they stop doing) to assist agents?
A harmonious working relationship can help speed up transaction times and reduce stress levels. Why do agents and conveyancers fight like cats and dogs?
Afternoon: Education
A quick guide to conveyancing for estate agents and others
Delays and paperwork are two of the biggest frustrations during a property transaction and they are often (unfairly) blamed on the conveyancer. In this session, we give a brief outline of the conveyancing process, explain common pitfalls and reasons for delays, advice on what can help with a smooth transaction and less stress for clients, estate agents, and conveyancers alike!
Searches, title documents, enquiries, etc. Why are they all necessary, why are they all so complicated and time-consuming?
Additional conveyancer responsibilities – Which one will be the straw that broke the camel’s back?
Conveyancers are suffering from ‘mission creep’ – the amount of work they have to do is broadening against increased pressure to work faster. Here we look at some of the changes on the horizon and give conveyancers a bit of much-needed guidance to help them complete their mission successfully!
Climate Change – the tip of the search iceberg
The Building Safety Act
SDLT Complications
- Friday 24th March
Afternoon: National Conveyancing Week Wine’d down
An opportunity to take reflect on the inaugural National Conveyancing Week. Firms will be encouraged to share their experience on social media using the #natconveywk2023.
Founder Rob Hailstone will deliver a short message to round the week up.