Searches UK - Conveyancing Focus Issue 9

ConveyancingFOCUS By

ISSUE 9 | WINTER 2016/2017

INTERVIEWS

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RECIPES

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PUZZLES

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PROPERTY

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NEWS

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INTERIORS

Due diligence made simple Complete environmental analysis | Concise expert opinion | Full findings online

RiskView Commercial advises lawyers on Contaminated Land, Flood, Ground Stability and Energy & Infrastructure all in a single, easy-to-read report. Where issues are identified, you get expert guidance on next steps from our environmental consultants. The report summary covers your due diligence and the full findings are available using our online viewer – simply click on links within the report and you are taken to an interactive map where you can review all the results in more detail.

It’s the all-in-one environmental report that’s simple, helpful and accessible. And because it’s an all-in-one report, you can confidently offer a fixed-fee search pack to every client, every time.

©2016 Landmark Information Group Ltd

0844 844 9966 | helpdesk@landmark.co.uk | landmark.co.uk

ConveyancingFOCUS A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the 9th edition of ConveyancingFOCUS brought to you by Searches UK. In our third year of issue, the magazine continues to evolve and provide our readers with the latest news in conveyancing.

On page(s) 6 and 7, we provide an exclusive interview with British adventurer, writer and television presenter Bear Grylls. On page 10, environmental experts, Landmark talk environmental due diligence for commercial transactions. Searches UK discuss recent research which highlights a rise in homebuyers using property surveys to their advantage on page 9.

Thank you to the industry experts who contribute to help us bring you the latest in conveyancing developments. As we enter a new year, the Searches UK team hopes 2017 brings our readers and contributors much success and exciting times ahead!

We hope you enjoy the magazine as much as we enjoy producing it, so please continue to send your feedback to marketing@searchesuk.co.uk.

We truly live in the most incredible country‌ spectacular and always beautiful Bear Grylls features on page 6

Head Office Unit 2, 136-140 Old Shoreham Road Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7BD T: 0800 043 1815 F: 0845 241 1817 W: www.searchesuk.co.uk E: info@searchesuk.co.uk

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Published by: Portfolio Publications | www.portfoliopublications.co.uk

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Printed by: Gemini Press | www.gemini-print.co.uk

Front cover Image: Courtesy of Shutterstock.

All rights reserved. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions relating to advertising or editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from the publisher.

New Platform Aids Network Growth The Conveyancing Exchange takes care of your clients, while creating more

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The Conveyancing Exchange is an innovative IT platform that allows solicitors and conveyancers to connect with conveyancing providers such as estate agents and financial advisors from all over the country.

The Conveyancing Exchange can plug this gap.

Not only does this system enable solicitors and conveyancers to build their current client base, but it allows them to do so by receiving cases from anywhere in the country.

How can The Conveyancing Exchange help solicitors and conveyancers?

Historically, the relationships that solicitors and conveyancers build with their referrers have always been limited to the local area. Hence, the route for growth is generally focused on opening multiple offices in the same city or on branching elsewhere to target a new client base. Yet with every new office opening, a number of additional costs are incurred and general recruitment challenges faced.

These nationwide cases are either referred by the estate agent, who can instantly instruct a solicitor or conveyancer on behalf of a customer while speaking with them face to face in their office, or by the customer, who can go online to instruct later when they are ready, increasing conversions for all parties.

This is all facilitated by The Conveyancing Exchange with a view to help all partners grow their network of clients and referrers alike – which means more work for everyone!

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No more stretching the team to meet targets or having to take on last minute locums – this platform helps to manage it all!

Set your own workloads and select specific cases Solicitors and conveyancers can easily create their own profiles and choose to take on specific types of work based on their experience and preferences. This means that each solicitor and conveyancer can take on the cases which they feel confident are within their skill range, and that they can complete to a high standard.

In addition, the platform allows law firms to specify which mortgage lenders they can process conveyancing cases with, so no more receiving cases from obscure lenders and then having to pass them on to another solicitor.

This feature not only saves time for the client but saves money for the law firm.

A much talked about feature of The Conveyancing Exchange is the ability for each solicitor and conveyancer to set their own caseloads, which ultimately means both parties are now able to manage their time more effectively, and the law firm is able to manage cash flow, as they are aware of exactly how much work comes in. No more stretching the team to meet targets or having to take on last minute locums – this platform helps to manage it all!

Any referrer looking to panel work to a conveyancer or solicitor will only be able to select a firm as an option if the quote they have run meets the requirements of that particular law firm, so every quote is matched perfectly and there’s no waiting to have a case accepted.

Helping you to help your clients As all conveyancers and solicitors are aware, clients may ask for advice on booking a surveyor or removals service in the latter stages of the conveyancing processes.. The Conveyancing Exchange recognises that these services are part and parcel of the home moving

process and aims to give clients the option of booking either or both services alongside their conveyancing.

So how does it work?

As estate agents, mortgage brokers and financial advisors sign up to the service, they will be able to invite their local solicitor and conveyancers to their own personal network, keeping the firms these referrers already send work to in the loop. This means current relationships are retained but referrers also have the opportunity to expand their networks to add solicitors and conveyancers from anywhere in England and Wales.

Agents simply run a quote for their clients, which takes just a few seconds, and they can instruct right away. All fees shown have been pre-determined on registration by the law firms to speed the process up and ensure that all parties are happy with their prices. The solicitor or conveyancer then receives the instruction directly to their email inbox after a few minutes complete with all the details of the client, the referrer, their property and the quote details.

The platform also offers a simple client journey which has been designed to be non-intrusive to any existing case management systems the law firm may have already adopted.

Each solicitor and conveyancer signed up to the service is able to view their own performance, i.e. how many cases they have taken on and their generated fee, offering a competitive but gentle approach to encourage the growth of their client base.

If you’re interested in using the free platform to extend your network, get in touch on 0207 406 5813 to discuss your options.

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk

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Bear’s Great Britain Bear Grylls, the British adventurer, has lent his support to VisitBritain’s ‘Home of Amazing Moments’ campaign to promote the incredible experiences that can only be had in Britain Using #OMGB (Oh my GREAT Britain), the hashtag at the heart of VisitBritain’s international digital marketing drive, the campaign features images of amazing moments from across Britain’s nations and regions. Bear Grylls has travelled the length and breadth of the country exploring the dramatic coastal and mountain terrain and shared his experiences of the landscape, animals and geology. Through his adventures he opens up magical moments on offer across Britain to inspire people to get out and explore the country.

Bear Grylls said: “We truly live in the most incredible country…

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spectacular and always beautiful…and it’s where I learnt so many of the skills I use on adventures around the world. I hope you enjoy this home that I am so proud of and share your amazing adventures in Britain using #OMGB.” VisitBritain Marketing Director Robin Johnson said: “Britain is packed full of amazing moments and experiences. Bear’s top 10 moments showcase the sheer diversity of incredible, one-of-a-kind holiday experiences on offer, inspiring even more people to get out and enjoy new activities and destinations and spreading growth from tourism across the whole of the UK.”

UKFOCUS

We truly live in the most incredible country…spectacular and always beautiful

Bear Grylls top 10 #OMGB moments 1. Climbing Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands

6. The views from Skiddaw in the Lake District National Park, England

I’ve spent much time here, scaling the highest mountain in Britain, and it’s where my dad learnt to climb! www.ben-nevis.com

This is the first mountain I climbed with my wife Shara. It’s one of the largest fells in the Lake District, and the walk up from Keswick has superb vistas. www.lakedistrict.gov.uk

2. Paragliding around the Sugar Loaf peak in the Black Mountains, Wales

One of my favourite things has to be flying around in my powered paraglider, riding the winds and soaring through the mountains near my Welsh home. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ sugarloaf-and-usk-valley 3. Reaching the summit of Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales

The views from the highest summit in south Wales are so impressive and I love the little lake under the north face, half way up the mountain. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brecon-beacons 4. Sea cliff climbing at Culver Downs, Isle of Wight

I used to run up to Yarborough Monument here when I was training for the military, and some of my earliest, fondest memories are of making boats and learning to climb with my dad on the sea cliffs. These were the foundation stones for all my love for adventure, and that closeness with him. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bembridge-andculver-downs

7. Walking the Llŷn Peninsula Coastal Path, Wales

Chilling out in Wales, lying in the long grass, with Shara and our three boys beside me - this is when I am happiest. The rest of our year is so busy, so we tend to holiday, just us, as a family on our small island hideaway in Wales, where we have limited communication and no mains power or water. This nearby coastal walk, also known as the Edge of Wales Walk, is spectacular. www.visitwales.com 8. Enjoying the isolation of Ben Loyal in the Scottish Highlands

This is my favourite mountain in Britain, on the north coast of Scotland, and where I met my wife Shara! www.walkhighlands.co.uk 9. Snowdon by foot - not train!

Snowdonia, Wales

Adventure is at the heart of what we love as a family, and hiking in stunning Snowdonia is a favourite. We also have a few of our Survival Academies nearby. www.visitsnowdonia.info www.beargryllssurvivalacademy.com

5. Climbing and caving at Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales, England

10. Scrambling in The Cuillin mountains, Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Yorkshire Dales are amazing and have been shaped by some fierce forces of nature, including this inspiring limestone formation that you can get inside… and up on top of! www.yorkshiredales.org.uk

These rocky mountains - where I guided Hollywood actor Ben Stiller for my TV show Bear’s Wild Weekends - are widely considered the most challenging and rugged terrain in Britain. www.visitscotland.com

The #OMGB ‘Home of Amazing Moments’ campaign is part of the UK Government’s global GREAT Britain campaign, which showcases the very best of what Britain has to offer as a place to visit, study and do business.

For more information visit www.visitbritain.org.

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk

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Survey Reports:

A Valuable Bargining Tool For Homebuyers

Recent research shows that the results from surveys are increasingly being used by homebuyers as a bargaining tool to reduce purchase costs and agree property maintenance

A recent survey conducted by ‘Which? found that 56% of homebuyers had an independent survey carried out whilst 15% only had a mortgage valuation survey.

Whether the survey highlights potential risks for buyers to consider or confirms the property is satisfactory and provides peace of mind, surveys are an extremely useful tool for home buyers. In 2016 Which? found that out of 1,831 home buyers, approximately half uncovered problems. Just fewer than 10% of these problems were major.

67% of buyers who found problems with the property they were purchasing, were able to either renegotiate on the price of the property or get the seller to make improvements before contracts were exchanged.

The majority of these buyers went on to use survey findings to their advantage. 43% negotiated a reduced price for the property purchase and 24% got the seller to fix problems with the property.

Homebuyers are increasingly successfully using information from house surveys to reduce the costs of their property purchase.

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BuyerFOCUS

Buyer Protect is a reimbursement scheme that can protect homebuyers’ money up to £2,050 should a property purchase fall though

However 15% were unsuccessful in reaching a lower house price or getting the seller to consider the survey findings. Additionally, 8% of buyers decided to pull out of the property purchase as a result of survey results.

Survey results are just one of the complications that may occur when processing a property transaction. Searches UK provide a unique and exclusive reimbursement scheme to financially support homebuyers and eliminate complications for conveyancing solicitors.

Buyer Protect is a reimbursement scheme that can protect homebuyers’ money up to £2,050 should a property purchase fall though. This scheme has a 100% pay out rate, covering homebuyers for a multitude of reasons.

Buyer Protect covers non-refundable, mortgage lender arrangement fees, mortgage broker fees, product and booking fees, valuation fees, solicitors’ fees and disbursements. This exclusive reimbursement scheme will even cover the cost of the survey should the buyer decide to pull out due to the results they discover through the survey.

Having a competitive advantage over other law firms is paramount to surviving in an expanding property industry. Furthermore, it’s even better if your advantage directly benefits your clients.

For more information on Buyer Protect and other valuable products available to you, call Searches UK on 0800 043 1815 or email them at, info@searchesuk.co.uk.

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk

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LandFOCUS

Commercial solutions Rebecca Hickey – Head of Legal Product, Landmark Information Group – on ensuring environmental due diligence for commercial transactions With all commercial property transactions, limiting clients’ exposure to the contractual or other legal risks relating to the purchase is paramount.

This includes the consideration of any possible environmental risks or damage relating to the site or property, such that they can be managed appropriately both at point of transaction and in future in order to maximise the value of the investment. From a lawyer’s perspective, such analysis is critical in order to demonstrate that proper due diligence has taken place.

Environmental issues that are identified at a later stage can prove costly, therefore applying strict rules relating to environmental analysis and due diligence at the outset is key to effectively managing transactions for all parties. Today, with more and more data available electronically, the way in which we can research environmental risk is evolving.

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Environmental searches were originally brought to market to help solicitors comply with the Law Society’s warning card on Contaminated Land (Part IIa Environmental Protection Act 1990).

Times have however changed and now we have greater access to a wider range of environmental data, which although outside of the Part IIa, could still impact the purchaser’s decision to proceed with the transaction.

Typically, lawyers should consider contamination risk or pollution, including radon, as well as analysing multiple categories of flood risk, ground stability and subsidence and any largescale infrastructure projects in the vicinity of the site.

One significant change in the market is the option for lawyers to access ‘all-in-one’ environmental search reports. Uniquely, Landmark Information Group now offers a report (RiskView Commercial) that combines a traditional PDF analysis and

One significant change in the market is the option for lawyers to access ‘all-in-one’ environmental search reports maps pinpointing risks along with an interactive online portal, which displays all of the required data more clearly than ever, helping to ensure efficient workflow and properly informed decisions.

Having the ability to assess multiple risks from one report offers peace of mind, plus it provides a new level of consistency for practices who wish to apply standardised due diligence on all commercial transactions, via one fixed-price environmental assessment service.

While searches for all property transactions are evolving and improving, there remain notable differences between residential and commercial reports: 1. Site boundaries Residential searches can be based on a buffered point geometry, whereas commercial sites are always based on the site boundary, which means a larger and more complex area is analysed.

2. Confirmation of current use For commercial searches Google Earth and Streetview are reviewed to validate or query current land uses as these can have implications on report outcome, for example, finding refuelling pumps in garages.

3. Historic & Operational Risk Residential searches only consider historic risk, on the principle that they are now living accommodation.

Commercial searches have to consider operational risk.

This is a key consideration in the “Environmental Damage Regulations” risk assessment, which involves much more analysis and time.

4. Search Radius Typically search areas are larger for commercial searches; the logic of why is to accurately determine the sensitivity of a site. Residential site sensitivity is generally always high given the land use, however commercial is open to definition. Therefore the required search area for the presence of water abstractions, for example, is 1km.

5. Extended Timeframes Necessary consideration of site area, current and intended use and wider examination of environmental data means that assessing environmental risk for commercial sites is more complex and time consuming than residential searches. This is to ensure the correct interpretation and professional opinion regarding contamination liability is fully achieved.

www.landmark.co.uk

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BrandFOCUS

Solicitors who can reach out to help consumers clearly understand their issues and options, and market themselves as such, should do well

Review your brand Lawyers need to prepare for “customer service revolution” A regulatory agenda that is looking to help consumers shop around for legal advice means that many law firms are running out of time to get to grips with customer service, a report being launched at the PI Futures conference has warned.

There is yet another new reality coming to the legal services market – transparency. Solicitors will no longer be able to hide behind the difficulty and mystique of the law, because regulators will not allow it. Change is coming, and it’s coming soon.

The evidence is the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) interim report on the legal services market, published in July. Though it found high levels of consumer satisfaction with the quality of legal services, there was less happiness with the way in which they were delivered.

The LexisNexis annual Bellwether report has even more starkly isolated the “perception gap” – in 2015 it found that although 80% of lawyers at small firms rated their services as ‘above average’, only 40% of clients rate them that way.

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The CMA recognised that there were “inherent difficulties” in signalling quality directly, with most consumers relying on previous experience or personal recommendations.

The Law Society’s report The Future of Legal Services, published at the beginning of 2016, foresaw a number of other threats to solicitors’ firms in the near term: “Solicitors who can reach out to help consumers clearly understand their issues and options, and market themselves as such, should do well as more providers enter the market and confusion around choice grows.

Solicitor firms who fail to get offerings right for consumers may see these retail buyers bypass them to seek refuge in familiar brands.”

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Get Floored A carefully chosen floor will transform a room. Choose elegant wood or a striking carpet to style your home your way A wood floor is beautiful, warm and versatile.

Wood has an unmistakeable quality and is suitable almost anywhere in the home. It is smooth and sleek and there are many varieties available, each with its own colour and grain. A classically good-looking wooden floor is the ideal investment to enhance your home. Wood has a natural patina; it has an ability to blend with any decorating scheme. It is also hard- wearing and ages gracefully over time.

A deciding factor when selecting your wooden flooring is whether to choose solid wood or engineered boards. Solid timber is resilient and its appearance improves with age. Timber can be sanded again and again but when buying timber flooring look to durable hardwoods and consider reclaimed boards or parquet. Parquet can be laid in a range of designs from herringbone to basket weave.

Timber boards range from narrow strips to wide planks – the choice is down to personal

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preference and aesthetics. In general the thicker, wider and longer the boards, the higher the price.

Choosing a reclaimed floor will be expensive, but with good reason as many timbers change colour as they age, and this effect is difficult to achieve by applying a finish to new wood. In a period home, using reclaimed wood for the floor will look like it has always been there.

All wooden floors need to be sealed to protect them from wear and tear. There are certain oils on the market which will help to harden the wood while providing a moisture barrier. Ensure the timber you buy for your floor is certified by the ‘Forestry Stewardship Council’, your guarantee that the timber is sourced from managed forests.

Engineered boards are made from layers of wood sandwiched together, their grain running at right angles to each other. This construction will reduce the effect of expansion and contraction that can sometimes occur with solid timber. These floors are highly stable and good for areas with heavy

InteriorsFOCUS

Choosing the right floor is an allimportant task as the floor is literally the foundation of your home and has a great impact both on style and practicality traffic, like hallways and kitchens. Engineered boards have the look and feel of real wood and will wear beautifully over time. Engineered wood flooring is seen as one of the most popular flooring types today. These boards come in a range of colours and finishes. There are even boards that are treated to give the same aged effect and finished with a matt lacquer like a real solid timber floor. Engineered wood is protected and pre-finished with special treatments and offers longer and wider panels than solid timber panels. Engineered flooring can also be cost effective and easier to install as these boards fit together with ease.

STONE FLOORING Using stone flooring will bring a timeless beauty and a sense of permanence to your home. Stone will suit every style of home. Stone is also fire and water-resistant. No two slabs or tiles are alike, which gives stone flooring an inherent beauty.

Real stone always look different once it is laid, grouted and sealed, so it is important to visit a showroom to view a tiled panel before deciding.

If you are looking to buy real stone tiles then choose a supplier who will get it directly from quarries. Stones suitable for flooring include slate, limestone, granite and marble, and all of these come in an array of various earthy colours.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are an excellent popular choice for today’s floors and are a lot cheaper than real stone. Porcelain tiles are very resilient and the hardest–working option you can find. It is highly water resistant too.

bold statement in any space. For kitchens and bathrooms there are slate effect vinyl tiles which are easy to clean, making them perfect for busy homes. The realistic appearance of these types of tiles adds style and sophistication to your interior.

There are high-end vinyl products like ‘Amtico’, but be prepared to pay accordingly. These vinyls are high-density and are available in sheet, tile or plank formats. Amtico can create a floor that is unique to you and comes in a choice of laying patterns, finishes, motifs and borders.

Amtico is suitable for anywhere in the home and is water-, slip- and dent-resistant. It is also resistant to scratches, scuffs and stains.

This type of vinyl has a huge selection to suit both classic and contemporary interiors. There is even ‘Amtico-click’ designed to be used without adhesive, as each Amtico tile clicks perfectly into place. These look and feel like wood but have the durability and performance of vinyl. This type of flooring can mimic both wood and stone.

Many of the ceramic floor tiles that are produced today are convincing replicas of marble, limestone and other stone tiles. Less expensive than the originals and often far easier to lay. Tile flooring is durable, distinctive and practical.

VINYLS Vinyl is one of the most practical flooring types.

It is hard-wearing and ideal for high-traffic areas.

Today’s vinyls come in vibrant colours as well as different finishes, from classic stone effect vinyl to trendy checked designs. These vinyls will make a

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HomebuyerFOCUS

It is not always obvious that the property is liable for these costs as it is sometimes not recorded within the deeds of the property; however it is still enforceable and legal

Chancel Checkmate Chancel Check reports ensure homebuyers are fully aware of any chancel repair liabilities

Chancel repair liability originates from an old medieval law, established during the reign of Henry VIII, when the local church owned large tracts of land. Chancel repair liability instructs homeowners to pay some or all of the repair costs towards local Anglican parish churches. The liability of this cost is determined by the distance of the property from the church. Depending on the location of a property, will depend on whether it falls within the radius to pay out.

Under the Act all chancel repair obligations had to be registered at Land Registry by 2012, otherwise they ceased to be enforceable. This led to the church scouring its archives to find instances where obligations existed and having them registered. It should be noted that the prospective risk is unquantifiable, and can affect any property irrespective of its current use or location. Of the 15,000 parishes in existence today, circa 5,000 parishes are at risk.

Charges can be extremely expensive, especially if a homeowner, who is obligated to pay, happens to live in a rural or secluded area. In some cases individual households have been considered liable for the full cost of the repairs.

In 2009, a couple were forced to sell their home after losing their fight through the courts regarding who was responsible for maintaining a 13th century church in Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire.

The couple had inherited the property with no knowledge of this medieval covenant haunting the property. As a result, the couple were forced to pay out ÂŁ37,000 and sell the property.

Although this law is in many ways out dated and actual claims are rare, chancel repair liability is not to be underestimated.

These chancel repair liabilities were not always formally recorded by way of a deed since they predate the development of the conveyancing system we know today and they were largely forgotten about for many years, until the introduction of the Land Registration Act 2002.

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In 2014, the BBC brought chancel repair liability to the public’s attention, reporting on a couple, Mr and Mrs Hessel, who received an unexpected letter from the Land Registry explaining that the local church had legally requested a contribution towards the maintenance of the church. Again, the couple we forced to pay the churches repair fees.

Since then, Mr and Mrs Hessel have created their own social media campaign, to “stop this archaic law being used to force ordinary home owners to pay for church chancel repairs!”

Their Facebook page is followed by over 800 supporters – many of whom have also fallen victim to this ancient law and have reached out for support.

Ensure Your Clients Are Protected Chancel Check Search Reports ensure homebuyers are fully aware of any chancel repair liabilities. It is not always obvious that the property is liable for these costs as it is sometimes not recorded within the deeds of the property; however it is still enforceable and legal.

Chancel repair benefits some 5,200 preReformation churches and could affect up to 500,000 properties in England and Wales.

Chancel Check Search Reports state whether the property is within a parish where a potential chancel repair liability exists and could save the homebuyer money if insurance can be obtained.

Due to the medieval nature of the chancel repair liability clause, these liabilities are not always recorded within property deeds, so it is wise to obtain a Chancel Check Search for all properties which may be located within affected areas.

Before ordering the Chancel Check Search Report it is worth considering the location of the property and the nature of the estate.

The first thing to consider is whether there is actually a medieval church in the vicinity. If the nearest is several miles away then it probably will not have an effect. Secondly, how densely populated is the area? If there are several thousand houses within a 2 mile radius of the church then remember that the liability will probably be split between all of them. A £10,000 repair bill seems daunting until it is divided by 1,000 properties.

For more information on Chancel Check Search Reports and how to order them, please email info@searchesuk.co.uk or contact Searches UK directly on 0800 043 1815 to speak to one of their dedicated team today.

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FoodFOCUS

I urge you to run to your local shop, buy a spectacular piece of Comté, and cook it for your family and friends

Raymond Blanc’s Manoir This new cookbook celebrates Raymond Blanc’s legendary Oxfordshire restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons with 120 of its best dishes to recreate at home

Set in the rolling Oxfordshire hills, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is a bastion of haute cuisine and a beacon of l’art de vivre. It is also the only country house hotel in Britain to have held two Michelin stars for more than three decades, presided over by the chef Raymond Blanc.

This book is Raymond’s personal tour of Le Manoir through the four seasons; he reveals the stories behind rooms that are luxuriously appointed and gardens that are ravishingly beautiful. But it is food that is at the heart of Le Manoir, and here you will find the recipes for one hundred and twenty of its most celebrated dishes, which range from those that can be recreated at home such as Soupe au pistou and Soufflé de rhubarbe - to the sensational creations - including Thème sur la tomate and Cassolette d’abricot - which have earned the restaurant its status as one of the world’s legendary gastronomic destinations.

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Comté cheese soufflé This soufflé celebrates a wonderful cheese from my beloved Franche-Comté and brings back treasured memories of times around the table when my mother served it. I urge you to run to your local shop, buy a spectacular piece of Comté, and cook it for your family and friends.

The soufflé base can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the fridge, the surface covered with buttered greaseproof paper to avoid crusting. You need to have everyone seated and ready to eat when you take the dish from the oven – even a perfectly cooked soufflé will stay inflated for only around five minutes.

Recipe taken from Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, published by Bloomsbury, £50, Hardback

SERVES 6 TO LINE THE SOUFFLÉ DISH 20g unsalted butter, melted 20g dried coarse breadcrumbs FOR THE SOUFFLÉ BASE 50g unsalted butter 50g plain flour 300ml whole milk, hot 160g Comté cheese (aged for 10 months), finely grated 20g Dijon mustard 3 organic/free-range medium egg yolks (60g) Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Using a pastry brush, brush a 25–30cm oval earthenware dish with a thin, even layer of melted butter and coat with the dried breadcrumbs. This coating will help the soufflé to rise evenly in the oven and give it a beautiful crust. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 175°C/Gas 3½ and place a baking tray on the middle shelf to heat up; a baking stone, if you have one, would be even better.

For the soufflé base, melt the butter in a large saucepan (ideally one with rounded sides) over a medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, then cook to a nutty coloured blond roux. Lower the heat and whisk in the hot milk, little by little, keeping the mixture smooth. Add the grated cheese and mustard and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, whisking from time to time.

FOR ASSEMBLING THE SOUFFLÉ 7 organic/free-range medium egg whites (210g) 4 drops of lemon juice 20g Comté cheese (aged for 10 months), finely grated FOR THE SAUCE 150ml double cream 70g Comté cheese, grated 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp kirsch

Briskly whisk one-third of the whisked egg whites into the warm soufflé base to lighten it. Carefully fold in the remaining whisked egg whites, delicately cutting and lifting the mixture to ensure there is minimum loss of volume and lightness.

Gently pour the soufflé mixture into the dish, filling it threequarters full. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the surface.

Place on the hot baking tray (or stone) in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

While the soufflé is in the oven, make the sauce. Bring the cream to the boil in a small saucepan and add the grated cheese, mustard and a pinch of white pepper, stirring continually. Once the cheese has melted, remove from the heat and add the dash of kirsch. Check the seasoning and pour the sauce into a sauceboat.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool a little. Add the egg yolks and stir until the mixture is silky and smooth.

Season with a pinch of salt (only a little as the cheese is salty) and 2 pinches of white pepper. Keep warm in a hot bainmarie.

Serve the soufflé as soon as it is ready, placing it in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves. Serve with the sauce, to pour around the soufflé.

When ready to assemble and bake the soufflé, whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice until soft peaks are formed.

Continue to whisk to a slightly firmer peak; do not over-whisk to stiff peaks.

VARIATIONS Montgomery Cheddar or Gruyère could be substituted for the Comté. You might like to put a layer of cooked Swiss chard, leeks or Belgian endive into the bottom of the dish.

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Cyber Security Andy Miles, CEO of ThinkMarble asks if you are covered by your IT managed service provider?

There’s been a sharp increase in news stories from law publications around cyber security. Between Friday afternoon scams, rising reports of data breaches and - dare we say it - major headline news such as Panama, cyber security is rarely out of the media spotlight.

Adding to this is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), who regularly highlights in both their blog, website and other communications just how easy and probable it is in today’s digital environment to suffer a cyber breach.

of huge amounts of sensitive information and the impending advance of cyber criminals growing in sophistication.

It’s a lot to take on. Unfortunately, law firms are a lucrative target - and very much worth the trouble for cyber criminals. “Doesn’t cyber security fall under my managed service provider’s remit?”

In 2015 such cyber breaches racked up a bill of £34bn to UK companies (before any consideration of the priceless cost of reputational damage).

Fifty percent of these breaches were caused by inadvertent human error. The UK was the most targeted country in Europe for attacks and frighteningly 1 in 20 emails sent resulted in a successful breach.

Am I Covered by my Managed Service Provider (MSP)?

The answer is unfortunately, probably not.

Managed Service Providers adhere to, and have a good level of security, but they are not security specialists. Nor should they be; managing complex infrastructure, software, hosting, development, support, updates and all things IT is a different role entirely to cyber security.

Cyber security is comprehensive and complex - it needs a specialist. It’s a bit like marking your own homework.

On top of digesting the above-mentioned dangers, today’s law firms also have to consider tightening regulation around data, the protection

One cannot be given both the responsibility of directing the movie and being the critic, or cooking the food and judging its quality.

20 | ConveyancingFOCUS

SecurityFOCUS

Cyber Essentials is a Government run scheme put in place because 80% of cyber-attacks are preventable. It’s also a great place to start in protecting your practice

The Consequences of Suffering a Breach If you suffer a security breach you’ll potentially have to pay a fine to the ICO (in 2014 173 law firms were investigated) in addition to costs associated with administration, loss in revenue and general business disruption. The costs of a breach range, according to the 2015 Information Security Breaches Survey, from £75k at the lower end for SMEs to over £3m for larger firms. And with regard to the probability of suffering a breach, 90% of large organisations and 74% of SMEs suffered one in 2015.

What to Expect from a Cyber Security Specialist The below list aims to highlight some of the differences in the roles of cyber security and IT managed services by showing what a cyber security specialist will deliver for your practice: • Forensic capabilities - an example of this in action would be to ascertain why an accounts team received a fake email from the MD requesting a transfer of funds or a fake email from your bank asking to provide account credentials • Regular system tests/penetration tests to stay in line with known vulnerabilities and trends • Advice on processes, policies and accreditations needed to support protective technology (technology is 1/3 of the cyber solution) • Training to raise the risk awareness of your support staff and partners • Monthly and quarterly reporting of traffic going in and out of your IT network • Alerts if anyone attempts to steal data or other digital assets • Security planning • Crisis management • 24/7/365 Rapid-response service

Cyber Essentials Cyber Essentials is a Government run scheme put in place because 80% of cyber-attacks are preventable. It’s also a great place to start in protecting your practice.

Some salient data points our own forensics team have gathered whilst implementing Cyber Essentials into law practices in the last 12 months include the following: • On average law firms tend to fail 40% of basic cyber security controls • Out of the basic security control failures we found 55% were under the direct remit of the Managed Service Provider.

Conclusion You are probably not protected from breaches through your MSP and ignorance is no longer bliss - you will be scrutinised should you suffer a breach not only by the regulator, but by your clients.

Not only are you not probably covered by your MSP, indemnity insurance rarely covers cyber breaches either as it is designed for third party protection and in the case of a data breach, the third party may have no idea their data has been breached in order to warrant a claim. Risk management and a combined approach is our primary advice here.

ThinkMarble ThinkMarble are cyber security specialists for the legal sector. We deliver enterprise class cyber security at an affordable price. You can identify potential threats to your practice and whether you are covered by your IT provider/department with our free, no obligation cyber assessment.

www.thinkmarble.co.uk

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IndustryFOCUS

New Product Updates Keeping you up to date with the future of property transactions

VAT ON LOCAL AUTHORITY CON29 FEES WILL BE INTRODUCED ON 1ST JANUARY 2017 After many years of discussions on this matter, HM Revenue and Customs have commanded that VAT charges to Local Authority CON29 searches will take effect from January 1st 2017.This is the third time in just 12 months

SDLT ONLINE PORTAL SDLT is a new online stamp duty land tax submission form. This modern software duplicates the layout of the paper version and highlights any errors before the form is submitted.

There are a range of benefits from using this online system, including multiple time saving templates, audit trails, PDF generated forms, available support and assurance that the stamp duty land tax form has been completed correctly. All of which helps conveyancing solicitors to save time, stress and money, while providing a higher quality of service to their clients.

Furthermore, Searches UK’s SDLT online portal was built from the conveyancer’s perspective; making the completion of forms much easier. The unique software integrates with a wide range of case management systems as well as other technology currently in place.

It is easy to install and the most efficient of it’s kind.

You can easily add SDLT to your bespoke search bundles for you to access online 24/7.

that these charges have been proposed. However as a result of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s continuous lobbying, these changes have previously been deferred.

SIMPLIFY DUE DILIGENCE WITH NEW ALL-IN-ONE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT RiskView Commercial is a new all-in-one environmental report, which successfully advises conveyancing solicitors on Contaminated Land, Flood, Ground Stability and Energy & Infrastructure, all in a single, easy-to read report.

This modern commercial search report not only provides a clear summary, but an online viewer of the full findings, as well as Google Street View, enables conveyancing solicitors to fully examine the site too.

Some of the fantastic benefits of RiskView Commercial include, simplified environmental report with 4 assessments provided ‘in one’, allowing for a fixed-fee search pack for every client. Online viewer provides interactive maps for you to explore and understand full range of data, and free re-review of any Further Action contaminated land reports.

TERRAFIRMA REPORTS NOW COVER £10M PPI Terrafirma are the UK’s only Local Mining Experts, able to accurately and comprehensively identify and assess the risk to your client’s property or land from past, present and planned mining and mineral extraction across England and Wales.

Terrafirma recently updated their reports and are now backed by £10 million PPI cover (on any one claim), which can be relied upon by all parties within a property transaction.

For more information about any of the products and services from Searches UK call them directly on 0800 043 1815 or email us at info@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today.

22 | ConveyancingFOCUS

MIND FOCUS Copyright Puzzle Press Ltd, www.puzzlepress.co.uk

Quick Crossword 1

2

3

4

Kakuro

5

6

7 8

9

10

11 12

17

13

14

18

19

15

16

20

Fill the grid so that each block adds up to the total in the box above or to the left of it.

You can only use the digits 1-9 and you must not use the same digit twice in a block. The same digit may occur more than once in a row or column, but it must be in a separate block.

21

22 24

25

Sudoku

26

1

5 8

8 5

6

7 8 2 7 4 9 4 7

4 1 2 7

9 6 1 2

9

Wordwheel

Wordwheel

Q

N

I

4 8 2 9 6 1 5 3 7

Sudoku

C

H

E G 7 6 9 5 3 4 1 2 8

Quick Crossword

N U

5 3 1 8 2 7 9 6 4

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one nine-letter word in the wheel.

8 7 3 4 1 2 6 5 9

Kakuro

6 3

1 2 4 6 9 5 8 7 3

SOLUTIONS

DOWN 1 Ordered series (5) 2 Brazilian port, ___ de Janeiro (3) 3 Money paid for doing work (5) 4 Characteristic (5) 5 Concise in manner (5) 6 Fanatical (5) 9 Synthetic fabric (5) 13 Sicken (3) 15 Harsh (5) 16 Muhammad ___, former boxer (3) 17 Tomb (5) 18 Battleground (5) 19 Sir Francis ___, English sailor (1540–96) (5) 20 Positively charged electrode (5) 21 Lovers’ secret rendezvous (5) 25 Implore (3)

9 5 6 3 7 8 4 1 2

ACROSS 1 Small insectivorous mammal (5) 4 Coach (5) 7 Scottish port (3) 8 In the middle of (5) 10 Tease (3) 11 Abominable snowman (4) 12 Peers of the realm (5) 14 Stride (5) 17 Secreting structure in animals (5) 20 Scrutinise accounts (5) 22 Circle (4) 23 Mature (3) 24 Hit song for Buddy Holly and The Crickets (2,3) 26 Child (3) 27 Fill with optimism (5) 28 Cardinal number (5)

Place numbers from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9 to solve this tricky puzzle.

2 9 5 1 8 3 7 4 6

28

3 1 8 7 4 6 2 9 5

27

6 4 7 2 5 9 3 8 1

23

The nine-letter word was QUENCHING

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S H R E I C A M O N Y L E A R L I O G L A N R R A G E N V E L A T

W T U T A Y R E A R G E T I S T R E S O D A U D R I N G A O H B K I D E E I G E

O R A I B I A D L I T R O Y S H T

HOW SECURE IS YOUR PRACTICE? Take our FREE cyber security assessment to find out if your firm has cyber vulnerabilities.

To book your FREE cyber security assessment worth ÂŁ500, text

Eligibility criteria applies

You will also receive our e-guide about conveyancing firm security best practice

We were very pleased with the work ThinkMarble did for us. We welcomed their independent assessment and advice and we recommend the process to other businesses.

Adrienne Edgerley-Harris Shentons Solicitors & Mediators

@ThinkMarble www.linkedin.com/company/thinkmarble

www.thinkmarble.co.uk T: 0333 101 4 399 | E: info@thinkmarble.co.uk