Conveyancing FOCUS Issue 12

Page 1

ConveyancingFOCUS By

ISSUE 12

PROPERTY

|

NEWS

|

INTERVIEWS

|

INTERIORS

|

COMPETITION


HOMECHECK FLOOD

©2017 Landmark Information Group Ltd

FLOODSOLUTIONS CONSULT

FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT


ConveyancingFOCUS A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR This latest issue brings you a range of legal and news updates within the conveyancing industry. On page 4 and 5, Conveyancing FOCUS interviews property expert Anna Hart on how to maximise the potential of your home. Check out Groundsure’s latest news and new products on page 6. Searches UK introduces new tool ‘The Conveyancing Exchange’ on pages 14 and 15, which is designed to enhance effective communication within the industry. Some new tips on Lego interiors feature on pages 10 and 11, as well as fantastic up and coming events to get involved in on pages 20 and 21. Thank you to the industry experts who contribute to help us share the latest in conveyancing. The Searches UK team hopes spring brings our readers and contributors much business success and useful tips for the winter months! 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.

I think, as a nation, we’ve become a bit lazy when it comes to vegetarian food, and I’d like to see people rediscovering these delicious, healthy, rich, vibrant tastes Recipe feature on page 16

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

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

|

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.


Tasteful and stylish decorations can enhance the warm, homely feel of your living areas, as long as they don’t take over the whole show

Winter sales Don’t believe anyone who says that you can’t sell a home during the party season. You can make your home sparkle by maximising the twinkle factor while keeping festive decorating minimal Anna Hart is an expert in staging homes for sale, working with house sellers to maximise their chances of selling as quickly and as profitably as possible. She says: “Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t sell your house at Christmas. It may be more difficult to sell during the traditional housing market ‘slow’ months of December and early January, with fewer active buyers due to a widespread family and party focus, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There’s even a wonderful opportunity for sellers, as buyers at Christmas are likely to be serious ones, so you could well secure a great sale while everyone else is out stocking-filler shopping or regretting the office party.” So how do you make sure your doors are fully open to the Christmas-time buyer without ignoring the festive season altogether? Balance and subtlety, that’s how. But first of all, you must follow Anne’s single cast-iron rule: no Christmas decorations in property photos. And only in the home over the minimal festive period and only then with care. During December itself, the decorations will only serve to distract buyers from the room you’re trying to show them. Christmas trees and decorations ‘date’ your photos,


SalesFOCUS

Six tips for successful seasonal selling 1. Minimalism rules for tasteful, nondistracting decorations. Less is more – keep to one colour of tinsel and baubles that complements your existing colour scheme for a stylish look, and don’t go overboard with the amount of decorating you do.

2. Keep your Christmas decorating in line with the style of your property – cottages suit traditional and classic styles, whereas new apartments can take more contemporary decorating. Keeping in style means your decorations become part of the house rather than competing with or over-shadowing it. www.johnlewis.com.

3. If you’re not so keen on a minimal or so if you are still on the market in the New Year, people will know immediately how long your house has been for sale. Particularly bad is leaving those decorated photos on your listing into spring; it will send a very negative message that no-one wants your house. So if you are just about to put your house on the market or you’re planning to during the next month, leave the decorations in their boxes until after your house has been photographed. When the time does come for putting the tree up and decking the halls, here is your opportunity to make a conscious decision. Do you want to prioritise your house sale or Christmas this year? If it’s your house sale, then decorating with a subtle hand is the best option. Tasteful, stylish decorations can enhance the warm, homely feel of your living areas, as long as they don’t take over the whole show. But if you do want to shower your house with a Christmas cannon and give the festive season all you’ve got, then you should make this decision in the knowledge that buyers may be overwhelmed by your decorations and may not be able to fully appreciate the space they’re trying to view. It’s completely fine to do this; just be aware that you could be putting your house sale on the back burner until January.

Read more helpful tips in Anna’s e-book www.annahartconsultancy.co.uk

Thanks to www.zoopla.co.uk

stylish look, try keeping your Christmas decorating to one room only, typically the living room. This will minimise the effect while still allowing you to indulge your own taste.

4. Make sure your Christmas tree isn’t too big for the room; in the same way as wedging a king-size bed into a small double bedroom will make that room appear very cramped, an over-sized tree will also make your room seem smaller than it is. Size matters with rooms, so scale back your tree size to complement and enhance your room, and make sure viewers don’t have to squeeze past the tree to get to the window or the next room.

5. Be conscious that all the extra things we tend to have in our houses over December can make the house look very cluttered. Extra furniture for guests, bags of presents and giant food stocks take up valuable space you need to be showing off, so try to keep these items out of sight for viewings.

6. If you really don’t think you can follow these tips, then it might be a good idea to come off the market until the New Year. No viewings may actually be better than bad viewings, and you can start your marketing again, once Christmas is over, with a renewed sense of purpose and focus.

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

|5


News And New Products Over £14,300 was raised for Prostate Cancer UK at Groundsure’s Annual Charity Golf Day Groundsure is delighted to announce that over £14,300 was raised in aid of Prostate Cancer UK at our annual charity golf day which was held on the 28th September. We all had a great day with various organisations from across our sector. Many thanks go to all those who took part - the players, the sponsors, and those who donated prizes and auction items - for helping us raise such a significant amount of money. Click here to view the online gallery of photographs taken on the day.

If you would be interested in taking part next year then please contact us at marketing@groundsure.com

6|

ConveyancingFOCUS


GroundsureFOCUS

Groundsure is delighted to announce that over £14,300 was raised in aid of Prostate Cancer UK at our annual charity golf day

Groundsure product updates: Now live - new look Groundsure commercial reports. We are delighted to announce that, following an extensive programme of customer research, we have redesigned and improved our Groundsure Screening and Review reports. Key benefits of the updated reports include: •

• •

Issues and clear next steps are easier to identify, with revised data order and better sign posting resulting in more logical, easy to follow reports - meaning an improved workflow Save time and money - clearer navigation and less blank space ensures that you can digest and share the findings of the reports quicker Expert opinion and recommendations from in-house environmental consultants appear earlier in the reports Same data, better presentation - the integrity of the reports is retained Modernised and cleaner overall look - providing smarter, more professional reports.

Did you know that the Groundsure Screening report includes an assessment on banking security – this gives an idea on the likelihood the bank can securely lend on the site. Due to our extensive work and relationships with major banks, we are able to add this unique assessment into our reports.

Five tiered risk assessment - to allow those borderline cases to still pass, but with suitable advice and recommendations Tiered pricing structure

Please click on the following links to download the new product cards and sample reports: Groundsure Screening Product Card Groundsure Screening Sample Report Groundsure Review Product Card Groundsure Review Sample Report

Our new residential search report Avista just got even better: Following customer feedback and extensive testing, we have made some changes to Avista. Help prompts have been moved into blue highlighted boxes to draw attention to them and section summary pages have been made more prominent. Did you know that Avista also includes JBA groundwater 5m resolution flood data. This means risk assessment is now more targeted and accurate, data is now risk-based rather than being based on geological potential and our risk calculator has been adjusted to take into account this new data.

For more information on our product range, call your search provider account manager or email marketing@groundsure.com

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

|7


OnlineFOCUS

Searches UK’s SDLT online portal was built from the conveyancer’s perspective; making the completion of forms much easier

SDLT Online Portal Save Time. Save Money. Eliminate Costly Mistakes… Get up to date with the future of property transactions with our new Stamp Duty Land Tax Online Portal SDLT is an 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. Therefore you can be sure to avoid any timely or even costly delays. When acting on behalf of the buyer, solicitors and conveyancers must submit SDLT within 30 days of the effective transaction. Completion of this form is compulsory and failing to do so accurately can result in a penalty. 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 its kind.

Other benefits of using SDLT include: •

8|

Integrates with a wide range of case

ConveyancingFOCUS

• • • • • • • •

management systems Dedicated Helpdesk. Build your own central database of solicitors Full permanent audit trail Helps you comply with Law Society rules Same lay-out as paper version Errors reported before submission HMRC online access not necessary to draft forms A privately run company with a ‘total customer service’ ethos

Searches UK clients get free access to the SDLT platform* You can be confident that your stamp duty land tax form has been completed correctly when you complete SDLT through Searches UK.

How to order SDLT SDLT can be easily added to your to your bespoke search bundles for you to access online 24/7.

For more information about SDLT or to add this fantastic product to your search bundles, please contact the team on 0800 043 1815 or email info@searchesuk.co.uk


Residential and commercial title insurance provider

Reliable

Indem n it y C o v e r

Benefits of our service: • Quick online cover • Simple online forms • Fully underwritten policy in minutes

Policies: • Chancel repair • Defective lease • Possessory title, and more!

Available through Searches UK Tel: 0800 043 1815 Fax: 0845 241 1817 info@searchesuk.co.uk www.searchesuk.co.uk Unit 2, Gemini Business Centre 136-140 Old Shoreham Road, Hove BN3 7BD Searches UK Ltd is an appointed representative of First Title Insurance plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 202103. This material is intended to provide general information only. For specific coverage and exclusions, refer to the policy. Subject to Underwriting terms & conditions.


InteriorsFOCUS

With quirky property designs emerging as a new trend, Lego decor has been seen popping up in more and more homes

The House That Lego Built Push the boundaries. How Lego can be used for home decoration and furniture creation Established in 1949, Lego has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the world’s most well-known brands. With Lego construction sets, blockbuster films, theme parks and now a growing community of artists and designers, Lego has established itself as much more than a mere child’s toy. When it comes to home decor, many homeowners like to think outside the box, exploring some rather unusual and creative ideas. Lego is a versatile and dynamic design tool which can be used to create some amazing home additions. With quirky property designs emerging as a new trend, Lego decor has been seen popping up in more and more homes, adding colour and unique style to properties. Spokesperson for Plentific, Stephen Jury, commented: “People are always looking for new and exciting ways to revamp their homes, and Lego has provided just the tool for homeowners to design their own unique decorations around the house. With hundreds of different colours and shapes, carrying out decoration work using Lego bricks provides unlimited options and ensures each design is customised to the homeowner’s taste. There are plenty of designs out there from creative individuals who have pushed the boundaries of what these bricks can be used for. Here we have listed few examples we love:

10 | ConveyancingFOCUS

LEGO STAIRCASE It’s not just home accessories that are getting the Lego makeover. A loft in Chelsea, New York, had its own bespoke staircase banister made entirely out of Lego pieces, nearly 20,000 to be exact. The creative design even features custom windows, inspired by Mondrian, which double up both as handy shelves for extra storage and as a funky play space to create mini Lego scenes. For anyone looking for ideas to spruce up their staircase or banister, you can’t get much more unique than using Lego. This simple, but effective idea comes with hundreds of design possibilities. Not a fan of the multiple colours? No problem. Create a solid block of colour, or experiment with different shades to complement your home color scheme.

LEGO WALL When it comes to large-scale Lego home decoration, not much compares to this Lego wall partition. Using over 55,000 colourful Lego bricks, and featuring a customised star detail, this nifty room divider took the builders a whole year to construct. But with an end result like this, it was definitely worth it. A closer look of this wall reveals little secrets including a window block, smiley-face bricks and a skull-andcrossbones design, all of which prove that with Lego anything is possible.


LEGO KEYHOLDER As well as furniture, Lego bricks can be used for practical purposes around the home, like this functional key holder. Always misplacing your keys? This clever idea works by clipping Lego blocks looped onto your keyring to a Lego backboard. The design of these Lego bricks means they can also click together if you have more than one key, as well as looking fun and quirky. Customisation of this handy holder can include changing the words, the colours used, or even the size of the backboard to accommodate as many keys as you desire.

LEGO UTENSIL POT Add a splash of colour to your kitchen with this bright utensils pot. Ideal for storing your salad servers, spatula, ladles and whisks, this Lego pot is guaranteed to liven up any kitchen. By experimenting with Lego brick sizes and colours, it’s possible to produce a truly bespoke kitchen accessory to display in pride of place in your home.

LEGO LAMP A Lego lamp is a great addition to any home. The sleek style is clean and crisp, with the use of solid colour proving how diverse Lego home accessories can be. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could experiment with your own shape designs and size to suit your preferences and create a talking point within any room.

LEGO SPLASHBACK A Lego kitchen splashback is a great way to inject colour into the room in a fun and unique way. The use of different-sized bricks means adding little details, such as functioning windows and doors is easy, and due to the structure of the bricks, keeping features like wall sockets exposed for that all important coffee maker is simple. You could take this one step further by designing a food-themed pattern to decorate your walls, or even use the basic idea to add a touch of colour to your living room by running a line of Lego bricks along the skirting board.

LEGO HOUSE This is the one that everyone was waiting for: life-sized Lego buildings! What kid didn’t dream about living in a Lego house? It seems that TV host James May certainly did, since he went out of his way to build this 3.3-millionbrick dwelling, which even features fully functioning Lego plumbing! The disadvantage is, naturally, that living in a house made of plastic bricks is not the most appealing concept in the world to adults. However, a Lego outbuilding, or even a playhouse, is far more plausible, and has been done a number of times.

For more information and ideas visit: www.plentific.com

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk | 11


Ground Hazards Angela Gordon-Lennox from Landmark on Understanding the Risks of Ground Hazards The word ‘subsidence’ is an uninviting prospect for any homeowner. The thought of such an occurrence happening near to your home is one that conjures up images of hefty bills, insurance issues and massive repair works. Having seen various headlines and images of houses displaying large cracks, or even sinkholes appearing in and around residential areas, you would like to think that consumers are mindful of the potential hazards when purchasing a new home, but of course it isn’t front of mind for those on the hunt for their ideal property. One example is in North Tyneside where the Bayfield Development was discovered to have been built on top of mine workings. The subsequent subsidence damage was so extensive that several homes have since had to be demolished (1). For solicitors, undertaking appropriate checks into

12 | ConveyancingFOCUS

a property’s risk of ground instability, as part of the conveyancing process, offers insight or assurances before any purchase is completed. Unless there are known examples of ground stability hazards in an area, it isn’t always something that clients have considered when buying a property, so being able to deliver intelligence related to any risk is paramount. There are various reasons why a property could be at risk from subsidence. This includes naturallyoccurring hazards based on land’s underlying geology, through to a range of man-made, historical factors due to activities that may have occurred on the land in the past. Former mining activity is one contributor. Old mine shafts and tunnels that were created as part of mining activities have the potential to collapse and damage properties above them. Disturbed ground and spoil tips can also be prone to settlement,


LandFOCUS

For conveyancers, help is at hand in being able to confidently research known risks

which could cause structural damage to buildings. In fact, according to data (2) compiled by Landmark Information for Property Week, it found that almost one-third of residential properties in England, Scotland and Wales are considered to be at some form of risk as a result of historic mining activities. Other forms of ground stability hazards come from former Brine Extraction and Salt Mining. This type of mining leaves large cavities in the ground which could collapse and cause problems for properties built in the area. Landfill sites and infilled ground, which is indicated from historical mapping such as ponds, drains and small pits, have the potential to create cause for concern. Infilled land can be susceptible to settling so any houses that have been built on these areas could experience stability problems and subsidence resulting in damage to the property. There are also natural ground stability hazards as a result of the natural underlying geology. For conveyancers, help is at hand in being able to confidently research known risks. Landmark’s RiskView report assesses 12 forms of environmental risk, including ground stability. In addition, a specific Homecheck Mining and Subsidence report provides details on any potential mining, subsidence or ground stability hazards. The latter uniquely includes details of insurance claims from Crawford & Company, which are a result of damage caused by subsidence to nearby properties. Reassuringly, Crawford & Company is the world’s largest independent provider of claims management solutions to insurance companies and self-insured entities. It includes the details of successful Coal Mining

Angela Gordon-Lennox

Subsidence Damage Claims that have been handled by the Coal Authority, rather than going through an insurer. If it is clearly identified that the property is located in an area used for coal mining in the past, it recommends that a full coal mining report is then purchased to better understand the specific nature of coal mining operations at or close to the property in question. All of this provides a very clear picture on potential hazards and ‘real life’ evidence of those near to a given address, enabling further site investigations to take place if they are at all concerned. Ultimately, when it comes down to home-buying, subsidence, mining risk or sinkholes isn’t at the top of everyone’s consideration list when looking for the home of their dreams. It is therefore down to solicitors to be able to research and advise on any potential hazards before the sale completes to ensure clients are fully briefed, and full and proper due diligence has taken place.

www.landmark.co.uk Notes: 1. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/northeast-news/sinking-west-allotment-homesknocked-12466204 2. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Limited 2017. All rights reserved.

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk | 13


The Communication Game Supporting conveyancers through effective communication

Did you know that conveyancing is the most complained about area of law in England & Wales?

and the client, it is important for them to be regularly updated on the information from other parties within the transaction chain.

In 2016, the Legal Ombudsman claimed that 23% of all complaints sent to the Regulator were in relation to conveyancing issues. The majority of these complaints were regarding reported failures on advising clients appropriately, in addition to a lack of communication, poor information and significant delays.

With this in mind, Searches UK have collaborated with The Conveyancing Exchange - A modern quotation-and-sales service that connects estate agents and brokers to law firms to provide direct, real-time conveyancing quotes that can be instructed on a client’s behalf immediately.

With more than one party involved in a property transaction, excellent communication between parties is essential in delivering clients an efficient, accurate and satisfactory process. With estate agents generally acting as the ‘middle-person’ between the conveyancing firm

14 | ConveyancingFOCUS

Streamline and accelerate your internal quote process The Conveyancing Exchange encourages homebuyers to instruct a conveyancer early in the process and highlights to clients and introducers that your firm is forward thinking, using state of the art software.


ConveyancingEXCHANGE

With more than one party involved in a property transaction, excellent communication between parties is essential in delivering clients an efficient, accurate and satisfactory process

By using The Conveyancing Exchange, conveyancers get free access to this platform where introducers can provide standard conveyancing quotes and send instructions online. Additionally, this free tool offers conveyancers the following: •

• •

• •

A standard conveyancing quote is generated in less than 60 seconds which supports a more efficient transaction Gives introducers easy access to your legal fees, disbursements and service specialities with the ability to send direct instructions. Instant access to management information such as quote conversion rates, effectiveness of colleagues and external relationships* Instant quotes on your own website* The opportunity to enhance your introducer relationships by providing automatic case update notifications* Expert removals and survey quotes available with each quote* No subscription charges or lengthy contracts*

*Terms and conditions functionalities

apply

to

It is so quick and easy to get a conveyancing quote through The Conveyancing Exchange. You never get a second chance to make a great first impression, so start saving time and increase business today by contacting The Conveyancing Exchange and begin to take advantage of this fantastic platform!

For more information, or to book your demonstration, please email sales@theconveyancingexchange.com. For more information about The Conveyancing Exchange or any of the products and services from Searches UK visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. Alternatively call them directly on 0800 043 1815 or email them at marketing@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today.

certain

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk | 15


I think, as a nation, we’ve become a bit lazy when it comes to vegetarian food, and I’d like to see people rediscovering these delicious, healthy, rich, vibrant tastes

Festive flavour A touch of luxury with a great recipe for Oysters with Apple Horseradish Cream, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall I’m in the process of launching my latest book, which is focused on the wonder of vegetables, and how with a bit of imagination, entire meals can be created from these most simple of foods. I think, as a nation, we’ve become a bit lazy when it comes to vegetarian food, and I’d like to see people rediscovering these delicious, healthy, rich, vibrant tastes and flavours in 2018. However, if there’s one luxury we should all allow ourselves at Christmas, it has to be oysters. It’s hard to beat spanking fresh, glistening oysters in their naked state or simply served with lemon, Tabasco or a splash of mignonette sauce, but at Christmas even oysters can take a little dressing up. This simple sauce is a great combination of cool, sweet, fresh and fiery – just add oysters and a crisp, chilly glass of champagne.

16 | ConveyancingFOCUS

River Cottage Much More Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Bloomsbury, £26) is out now. Photography © Simon Wheeler


FoodFOCUS

One ingredient too often overlooked at this time of year is fish, yet Christmas and New Year is the perfect opportunity to lay on a few fishy delights at some point, be that in the form of canapés, starters or main course. And if you really love fish, what’s to stop you making it the star of the show at the big feast?

Serves four to six. Recipe •

1 small, crisp eating apple

2 tbsp freshly grated horseradish, or 2 tbsp hot horseradish

80g crème fraiche

12 oysters

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Method Core and grate the apple Now mix about two to three tablespoons of it with the horseradish and crème fraîche. Chill for an hour or so for the flavours to develop. To serve, shuck the oysters, place them on a suitably grand platter (ideally supported on a bed of rock salt, so they don’t slip around and lose their juices). Finally, put a small dollop of apple horseradish cream on to each one and sprinkle parsley on top.

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk | 17


IndustryFOCUS

Product & Service Updates Keeping you up to date with the future of property transactions Groundsure Redesigned and improved Commercial Reports Groundsure have modified the Commercial Screening Report to make information generated more clear and easy to understand. What’s changed? The updated report includes clear next steps, revised data order, better sign

Get Ready for GDPR The Data Protection Act will be replaced with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will now overhaul how businesses process and handle data. GDPR will come into practice from May 25th 2018. This will impact how firms handle the information of clients. Legal Eye will provide an update on these changes at the Inside Conveyancing & Legal Update Conference in January 2018.

This will impact how firms handle the information of clients

posting, expert opinion and recommendations from inhouse environmental consultants appear earlier. Additionally, more information is accessible on the first page of the report. Groundsure Screening is available at Searches UK.

Indemnities UK Indemnity Insurance Indemnities UK, which is a trading name of Searches UK, can provide both Residential and Commercial title insurance to FCA registered solicitors and conveyancers. Indemnities UK provides a straightforward and secure online system which allows you to order and issue fully underwritten policies supplied by First Title in minutes … it couldn’t be easier! Registering for Indemnities UK is FREE! For more information or to register, please visit www.indemnitiesuk.com

Stamp Duty Reform in Wales The Welsh Government have publicised a new land tax system, which will see stamp duty scrapped and replaced with Land Transaction Tax, with new thresholds. This change means that home buyers purchasing homes for less than £250,000 will benefit from paying up to £500 less in tax. However properties in excess of £400,000 will

pay more land tax at an increased rate of 7.5%. Land tax for commercial properties will have a top rate of 6% for transactions over £1M. To avoid mistakes and accurate completion of land tax forms, Searches UK recommend the SDLT online portal for solicitors. For more details please contact us.

Landmark More flood passes with RiskView Residential Reports RiskView Residential just got better – it is the only ‘all in one’ environmental report to automatically include a manual risk assessment where the data reveals a significant risk of flooding, resulting in far more flood passes! Landmark also consider the height of the property

in relation to possible flood events, resulting in a highly accurate risk result meaning that you get best practice due diligence with smoother, quicker transactions for you and your clients. Click here for more information on Landmark RiskView Residential Reports.

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

18 | ConveyancingFOCUS


WHO AM I DEALING WITH?

Let Your REPUTATION DO YOUR MARKETING FOR YOU!

ARE THEY INSURED?

SATISFIED CLIENTS?

EXPERIENCE?

Brought to you courtesy of our sister company

QUALIFICATIONS HELD?

ESTATE AGENTS MORTGAGE BROKERS FINANCIAL ADVISERS LEGAL SERVICES OPTICIANS SOLICITORS COSMETIC SURGEON SURVEYORS HAIR & BEAUTY ACCOUNTANTS THERAPISTS DENTAL VETS IT

Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ

Today, clients are looking for an informed choice when choosing a professional service and Checkaprofessional’s new online service is providing just that. The Checkaprofessional website will give instant access to all professional service providers who have agreed to be vetted by us and continuously monitored by their clients, who can post verified feedback on the site. It will provide a FREE one-stop shop to finding the right professional service for a client’s particular needs. Find out about the unique advantages Checkaprofessional membership could provide for your online marketing. www.checkaprofessional.com

0800 093 8414


Inside Conveyancing... Inside Conveyancing & Legal Update Conference A Fantastic Line Up of Speakers! Inside Conveyancing have teamed up with Groundsure and Searches UK to host an informative legal CPD accredited seminar, providing essential information and updates by leading industry experts. This event is designed to inform conveyancers and solicitors on recent developments in the conveyancing industry. This seminar incorporates a range of topics from the industry’s leading organisations and speakers, including Professor Ian Cooper, The Land Registry, Legal Eye, Think Marble and Bold Legal Group .

This Seminar will contribute towards your ongoing training requirements *6 CPD Points Speakers:

Professor Ian Cooper - Finding The Missing Millions Bold Legal Group - Government call for evidence: Possible changes to the home buying process - Rob Hailstone Legal Eye - Get Ready for GDPR - Paul Saunders Land Registry - Overview of Land Registry - Jamie Winch Think Marble - Cyber Crime - Andy Miles Groundsure - Why Does my Client Need Contaminated Land Reports? - Alistair Dick

Book Your Place:

Event date: Thursday 25th January 2018 | Venue: Birmingham Library | Timing: 9.00 am - 4.30 pm Price: ÂŁ69 (inc VAT) click here to purchase tickets or alternatively call 01273 229334 to make a payment over the phone *Searches UK are able to cover attendee costs. Terms & Conditions apply. Contact marketing@searchesuk.co.uk for more details.

For more details, please call 01273 229334 or email: marketing@searchesuk.co.uk For more FREE CPD events, check out our CPD Page to take advantage of all the courses which are on offer from the likes of Searches UK, Groundsure, Landmark and many more!


EventsFOCUS

providing invaluable advice on practical as well as legal issues, pertinent to today, from leading experts in their field

Future Events At Searches UK, we love to get out and meet our clients PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES:

Watford - Commercial Property Law Update 2018

Join Searches UK at Professional Conferences, which will be taking place throughout 2018. Professional Conferences’ Residential and Commercial Property Law & Conveyancing Update conferences are designed to update solicitors, licensed conveyancers and barristers on current property law and conveyancing issues. Professional Conferences provide invaluable advice on practical as well as legal issues, pertinent to today, from leading experts in their field. These conferences promise to be a most interesting, informative and enjoyable day including refreshments, documentation and 6 hours CPD. Come and see us to grab yourself a range of goodies and the opportunity to enter our prize draws!

Date: 18 th June 2018 Venue: Hilton Watford Hotel, Elton Way, Watford WD25 8HA, United Kingdom Time: 9.30 – 17.00 To book your place at this event, please click here.

Preston - Legal Easel: Major Issues in Commercial and Residential Property Law 2018 Date: 19 th February 2018 Venue: Ribby Hall Village, Ribby Road, Wrea Green PR4 2PR, United Kingdom Time: 9.30 – 17.00 To book your place at this event, please click here.

Birmingham - Commercial Property Law Update 2018 Date: 15 th April 2018 Venue: NEC Birmingham, Birmingham B40 1NT, United Kingdom Time: 9.30 – 17.00 To book your place at this event, please click here.

London - Residential Property & Conveyancing Update 2018 Date: 17th April 2018 Venue: Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX, United Kingdom Time: 9.30 – 17.00 To book your place at this event, please click here.

NETWORKING EVENTS: Property Professionals Lunch – Thursday 11th January 2018 – Hotel Du Vin, Brighton The Property Professionals Lunch has become one of the most popular networking events for industry professionals. This networking event gives property professionals the opportunity to mingle with peers and like-minded people in a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere to discuss new ideas and create fresh business opportunities. There is a guest speaker each quarter and a chance to enter our prize draw for just £10 (minimum) to raise money for the Rockinghorse Children’s Charity which helps improve the lives of children who are seriously ill in Sussex.

Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk | 21


Moving searches forward.

Avista is the new environmental search report from Groundsure. The only residential report that intelligently filters seven searches including 10 years of planning. Pass reports are on average fewer than 20 pages long. To find out more, visit: www.groundsure.com/avista or contact your preferred search provider.

@groundsure

info@groundsure.com

+44(0)8444 159 000


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.