The group previously known as Property Lawyers Action Group (PLAG) is to rebrand as Property Lawyers Alliance (PLA).
The PLA is an ‘evolution’ of PLAG says founder Stephen Larcombe, opening up the group to a ‘wider, more inclusive group of property lawyers, that will support, inform, and protect the integrity of all property lawyers operating as part of the wider legal profession.’
PLAG has played its part in forcing the Law Society to call a Special General Meeting (SGM) in the wake of the release of the updated fifth edition of the Property Information Protocol Form (TA6). Larcombe adds that although the vote was unsuccessful, PLAG’s efforts resulted in the Law Society launching its consultation on the update. And the PLA remains committed to its previously stated view that ‘material information’ is ‘misguided and potentially unlawful.’
Larcombe was recently interviewed by Today’s Conveyancer touching on consumerism, Axiom Ince, legal tech and future plans for PLAG. Since the SGM, he says the PLA has received offers of help from across a whole spectrum of law firms based in the UK.
On what the future holds, PLA feels strongly that lawyers at the heart of conveyancing, and the interpretation of land law principles underpinning it, is something respected for centuries. Rallying against changes to that, the group have described how ‘radical changes to that position should not occur merely because powerful vested interests desire to dumb down conveyancing to fit the requirements of their products or services’ a reference to legal-tech, and the growing pressures on conveyancing around issues like climate change.
“Property is affected by many types of legal transactions. ‘Peaceful possession’ of property is a legally enforceable human right. Property can also be taxed, sometimes the same property is taxed several times. Land ownership has also become highly politicised across the traditional left-right continuum of UK politics. Analysis of Land Registry data shows that the total value of all property sales in 2023 was £154.7 billion.”
“The conduct of property transactions to a significant extent is affected by legislation. If Parliament decides that climate change is important, or protection of the environment is important, or the fight against money laundering is critical, then Parliament passes appropriate legislation. The problem is that ironically Parliament has inadvertently created obstacles to improving homebuying.”
Concludes Larcombe.
“Whether a client decides to sell or buy a property must be an informed decision based on the advice of an independent property lawyer, exercising his or her professional judgment unfettered by the commercial interests of third parties. So, the fundamental aim of PLA is to defend the role of independent property lawyers as part of the legal landscape identified above. All the conventions of daily law practice find their highest expression in integrity. Something the PLA feels must remain an integral part of conveyancing.
