ConveyancingFOCUS ISSUE 7 | SUMMER 2016
FITZALAN PARTNERS Explore The Comparison Market COMMERCIAL SEARCHES The Best Commercial Reports GROUNDSURE Consumer Protection Regulations LANDMARK Digital Mapping PLUS REGULAR FEATURES: Meet The Team, Career Ladder And Industry News
COOKING THE BOOKS Interview With Hemsley + Hemsley
www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ConveyancingFOCUS CONTENTS
4 5 6 8 9 11 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 23
By
Searches UK
Conveyancing Tracker UK
Industry News
Fitzalan Partners : Making the most of comparison sites
The Interview
Cooking the books with the Hemsley Sisters
Industry News Legal Eye
Searches UK
Client Empowerment
Groundsure
Protecting the consumer
Buyer Protect
Reimbursing buyers when things don’t go to plan
Career Ladder
Tom Backhouse, Managing Director of Terrafirma Mine Searches
Searches UK : Meet The Team
Get to know three more members of the Searches UK team
Commercial Products
Searches UK provide specialised solutions for commericial properties
Risk & Compliance
Maintain best practice and ensure compliance at all times
St Giles
The Insurance Act
Searches UK: Events
What we’ve been up to and events coming up
Landmark
RiskView Residential is Landmark’s new digital ‘bundle’ of online mapping
Sid is hidden somewhere in this edition, if you find him email marketing@searchesuk.co.uk to let us know where he is
Published by: Portfolio Publications www.portfoliopublications.co.uk
Printed by: Gemini Press Front cover Image: Courtesy of Searches UK, Hemsley + Hemsley 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.
Andrew Stenning, Managing Director, Searches UK
Lisa Summerton, Sales Director, Searches UK
WELCOME “Summer is almost here, can you feel the heat yet? In this edition of ConveyancingFOCUS we have invaluable advice from LegalEye about the reputation of your brand, exciting news about the next big comparison site: The Solicitor Finder, and risk and compliance tips and pointers. Our contributors include Groundsure, Landmark, Fitzalan Partners, St Giles and Legal Eye who will discuss Consumer Protection Regulations, interactive search reports and PII. Regular features include Meet the Team, Career Ladders and celebrity interviews – the Hemsley Sisters discuss their love of food and provide a great summer recipe to enjoy with your friends and family.” Magazine Editors: Andrew Stenning, Managing Director of Searches UK and Lisa Summerton, Sales Director of Searches UK. We love hearing from our readers and all feedback is greatly appreciated, contact marketing@searchesuk.co.uk if you’d like to get in touch. Alternatively if you wish to advertise or contribute to the magazine, email melanie@searchesuk.co.uk or call 0800 043 1815. Don’t forget to visit www.conveyancingfocus.co.uk to view an electronic copy of this edition. Produced by: Searches UK 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
Midlands Office The Garden House The Owl House Shottery Village Stratford Upon Avon CV37 9HA www.conveyancingfocus.co.uk
ConveyancingFOCUS: Conveyancing Tracker UK
KEEPING TRACK OF QUOTES Searches UK reveal the benefits of using a quotation platform In a recent survey conducted by Searches UK it revealed that just over 75% of solicitors and licensed conveyancers did not use a quotation platform for their clients. Of those who said they did not use a system like this, they said they instead relied on more traditional options such as Excel spreadsheets, calculating quotes manually and using existing templates and fixed fees for the firm to quote clients. Whilst these are all legitimate ways to generate quotes for clients, is does seem slightly time consuming and labour intensive, especially when there are innovative platforms such as Conveyancing Tracker UK, powered by Searches UK, which helps reduce the amount of time spent on each quote and which sends quotes directly to clients to approve or decline. Solicitors and conveyancers can upload their own fees to the system, clearly and easily keep track of key stages and milestones, and add their own branding to the system. Regular contact can be kept with the client and real-time notifications are sent so they can see how the sale or purchase of their property is progressing. Andrew Stenning, Managing Director, at Searches UK said: “Conveyancing Tracker UK is an excellent platform which has been developed with
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property solicitors and homebuyers or sellers in mind. All parties are able to stay informed about what is happening in a transaction, meaning less time is spent on updating different parties about the status of their purchase or sale and more time can be dedicated to progressing the case forward. We’re really excited to bring this system to market and expect it to become not only an extremely useful tool, but one that in time gives so much value and saves so much time it becomes indispensable too.”
Conveyancing Tracker UK, powered by Searches UK, helps reduce the amount of time spent on each quote and sends quotes directly to clients From the client’s point of view, they will be kept updated at all times via email as well as by using a simple to download App
which is available from Google Play and the iTunes App store. Documents relating to the sale or purchase can also be accessed on the App. They can message you directly through the App and e-sign documents on the move. To tailor the system to your firm’s brand or to find out more about using Conveyancing Tracker UK, simply call 0800 043 1815 to speak to a member of the team or alternatively visit www.conveyancingtrackeruk.co.uk. Searches UK provide a comprehensive range of residential and commercial conveyancing searches including official and regulated local authority, drainage and water, environmental, chancel, planning and mining searches. Couple this with their excellent service and dedicated team, Searches UK is a leading property search provider in England and Wales and function with their clients at the core of their business. For more information about 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 info@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today.
ConveyancingFOCUS: Industry News
ONLINE MARKETING TIPS:
EXPLORING THE COMPARISON MARKET FOR SOLICITORS As comparison services enter the legal world, Cordelia from Fitzalan Partners explores the trend behind this and why you should grasp the opportunity with both hands In my last article, I explored a few ways that solicitor firms can boost their client base through online marketing, with one idea exploring the comparison market. Why Compare? With prices and quotes across all industries becoming more transparent, clients have begun to expect the same from their solicitors. If they cannot get a straightforward quote over the phone, or online, they may be tempted to try elsewhere. Your prospective clients are not solely comparing by price either, as location or ratings may be a factor in their decision. Many clients are looking for a complete package, with additional support throughout the conveyancing process. You can’t always rely on local clients Conveyancing can be done by phone, post and email, with many clients now completing without ever meeting their solicitor or conveyancer face to face. As a result, solicitors can no longer rely purely on the loyalty of local clients, and must open their doors to those who live further away.
Don’t be scared to share Many firms are naturally wary of sharing details about their fees, but as more and more solicitors open up, it can leave others behind who are less inclined to share details up front. Sharing your fees for services such as sale and purchase conveyancing could make it easier to compete in today’s market.
With prices and quotes across all industries becoming more transparent, clients have begun to expect the same from their solicitors Where to feature your firm There are a few options to choose from if you want to join a comparison site, however there is one that stands out from the rest.
The Solicitor Finder lets firms set their own fees, manage how much work they receive, and choose whether to receive qualified leads or confirmed instructions. The Solicitor Finder also boasts a dedicated team to support the client, both online and over the phone, as they choose their solicitor. Featuring on The Solicitor Finder Online visitors can compare solicitors based on price, distance and customer ratings, and they always have to qualify their search by the service they are looking for. The Solicitor Finder is currently focussed on the conveyancing market, and solicitors can receive leads or instructions from clients looking for sale or purchase conveyancing, remortgaging or transfers of equity. If you would like to learn more about joining other solicitor firms who are already featured on The Solicitor Finder, please get in touch on cordelia@thesolicitorfinder.com or 0800 038 6644. You can read reviews from solicitors we work with on www.fitzalanpartners.co.uk.
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ConveyancingFOCUS: The Interview
A SUMMER SAMPLER Spiralising sisters Hemsley + Hemsley tell ConveyancingFOCUS why pursuing healthy food needn’t necessarily mean relinquishing flavour Jasmine Hemsley: We both regard food as something of an emotional journey. Yes, of course it’s about taste and flavour, but real food is about friends and experiences and company, and we are always trying to style dishes with those elements as central to what we do. At the heart of everything is bone broth, but our dishes are diverse, current to both trends and the season, healthy and, more than anything else, tasty. I say ‘healthy.’ We should all afford ourselves a treat every once in a while. Ultimately, like most things in life, it’s about balance. Melissa Hemsley: On the provenance side, our ethos is to really think smartly about what you buy and how you use it. We hate wastage, or the idea that we cannot maximise every part of something. I’m always talking about ‘repurposing leftovers’, but there are so many parts of
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food that can be reinvented. I remember an era when the furthest that went was using the juice from meat as a gravy constituent. Thank goodness we’ve moved on so far from there now.
There is real accessibility to fresh produce and meat all months of the year and from all corners of the globe Overall, it’s the most positive era we’ve had for food. It’s so much on trend and there is real accessibility to fresh produce and meat all months of the year and from all corners of the globe. As long as we’re sensible about what we put in our mouths, there is so much to savour.
Good + Simple by Hemsley + Hemsley is out now on Ebury Press. RRP £20
ConveyancingFOCUS: The Interview
COURGETTI SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO & BUTTER BEAN PESTO In this dish we pair our favourite spiraliser veg - courgette - with a delicious nut and dairy-free butter bean pesto. The deep flavours of sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, tangy lemon juice and a hint of chilli make this pesto a perfect accompaniment to our courgetti. Delicious for lunch, or as a light summer meal!
SERVES 4 For the Pesto • • • • • • •
400g tin butter beans, drained 2 fat garlic cloves 10 sun-dried tomatoes 75g fresh basil, reserve a few leaves to garnish 4 tbsp lemon juice Pinch of chilli flakes Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Courgetti • • • •
6 courgettes 2 large ripe avocados, chopped Red chilli, chopped, for garnish 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1.
For the pesto, blend all of the ingredients and nine tablespoons of water to a rough paste in a food processor. Add extra water to loosen the mixture if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2.
For the courgetti spaghetti, peel spaghetti-like strands from the courgettes using a julienne peeler, collecting them in a large mixing bowl.
3.
Pour the pesto on top of the courgette strands and carefully stir until the courgette is evenly coated.
To serve, pile the courgetti spaghetti and pesto onto serving plates and top with the chopped avocado, reserved basil leaves, chopped chilli and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
4.
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ConveyancingFOCUS: Industry News
YOUR REPUTATION IS YOUR BRAND Are you making the most of customer feedback? David Kempster, Consultant at Legal Eye explains the importance of managing what your clients say about your firm Competitive pressures and the convergence of technology are compelling innovative law firms to understand market information in new ways. While traditional word of mouth recommendations from friends remains a powerful advocate for a law firm’s service, there is a far larger and ever growing online community making judgements by search - and reputation is still the determining factor. Done in the right way, harnessing client feedback will not break the marketing budget and provides a checklist of what is working and what needs fixing. It’s time more than money that’s needed to get it right. If you don’t have an effective feedback system, you cannot capture important comments and use them meaningfully to make service improvements, some of which could be essential compliance requirements – and could prove very costly in time. As a rule, law firms are not the best at integrating requests for feedback or indeed following up on them. Becoming more proactive will set high street firms apart. The first thing is to break old taboos about secrecy and not wanting to shout about it. Law firms are naturally conservative and adopt a cautious risk based approach to anything outward. Fair enough, but perhaps Partners should start to think more like retailers, hotels or restaurants in how they position their reputational quality. Aside from Googling or using YouTube for specific content, it is second nature to select on the basis of star ratings or feedback. There are some situations when rating service may not be appropriate – but for end to end solutions that are, in the main,
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relatively straightforward, like probate and conveyancing – encouraging rated feedback can be a positive support to the brand. This is second nature to the hotel trade who have automated this into the check out and email follow up process. It’s a daily task – but how many law firms would adopt the same today?
You must integrate feedback mechanisms into your website, social media and communications process so that it is a permanent feature of your content and shows you are serious There are simple feedback capture tools out there now that also support positive Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) like Feefo and Trustpilot. Reach 30 reviews that are 4 stars and above, and Google may place you higher in organic search results than others. Video testimonials are also a powerful mechanism through YouTube, as Google will promote these highly. Google has also commissioned numerous surveys that show browsers actively select services with strong star ratings over another. You can also seek rated feedback through your Google My Business pages, through Facebook likes and, crucially, from capturing more qualitative feedback after
the case is completed – which supports your marketing literature and sets you apart from others. The other key factor is that once comments are out there, you have someone there to actively respond to comments and provide support – failure to do so can become highly visible with social media – so make plans to support it properly. You must integrate feedback mechanisms into your website, social media and communications process so that it is a permanent feature of your content and shows you are serious. It also says that your brand is client-oriented not just based on the usual precepts of trust, quality and experience of staff and their knowledge of law – that is a given these days. Every law firm should be active about their reputation-based marketing. You could have a great reputation amongst your peers, a filing cabinet full of customer testimonials, have accreditations, quality standards and association memberships, but if you don’t use all the tools at your disposal, competition that is using them, could pass you by.
David Kempster is a consultant with Legal Eye. He is a seasoned legal services marketing professional and works with law firms to devise and implement strategies and communications for market growth. Legal Eye offers a comprehensive range of law firm marketing services. For more information visit www.legal-eye.co.uk/services/ marketing/ or call 023 051 2049
ConveyancingFOCUS: Client Empowerment
The ethos at Searches UK is always to ensure our clients are completely satisfied with the service they receive
CLIENT EMPOWERMENT Searches UK are passionate about client satisfaction and have robust channels for client feedback The ethos at Searches UK is always to ensure our clients are completely satisfied with the service they receive. Clients can choose a tailored experience by hand selecting the best options for their firm; there are a number of ordering and payment options, returns preferences and packs & bundles to choose from. To reassure their clients that they will receive an excellent service from the personal, friendly and helpful team at Searches UK, they are members of Checkaprofessional. com which is a feedback and reviews platform where clients can leave their honest and impartial comments about the service they receive from Searches UK. Not only does it give their clients the opportunity to openly express their views about Searches UK, they can also score them in areas such as professionalism, quality of service, advice, communication and customer service. The average score for Searches UK is 9.9 out of 10 dating back to 2012 right up until this year. Another platform that clients can utilise is the reviews section on Google; Searches UK boast 5 stars out of 5 on this channel too.
Here is a selection of the reviews left so far by clients of Searches UK:
5 Star Google Reviews “As a Conveyancer I rely on third parties such as search companies for information to enable me to carry out my job efficiently. Searches UK are extremely professional and are always available to assist as much as possible. Their Searches are well written, meaning my clients very rarely have questions about them thus making my job slightly easier and my clients transaction less stressful. Keep up the good work guys.” “Searches UK have always been efficient at dealing with our requests. We have used them for a matter of years now and would not consider going elsewhere! We rely on a reliable service and this is exactly what they provide. Highly recommend!”
9.9 Score Checkaprofessional Reviews “Searches UK have provided us with an exceptional service. Their website is very user friendly which allows us to process searches with just a few clicks of the mouse. Highly recommended and also very competitively priced.” “I have been using Searches UK for some years and have found the customer service to be of the very best quality. Not only are the staff very efficient, but they make a point of knowing their clients. Whenever I encounter the staff of Searches UK at exhibitions or seminars, they are always extremely friendly and clearly recognise their customers. In a marketplace that has become very anonymous, it makes a welcome change to be treated as an individual.”
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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Call 08444 159 000 email info@groundsure.com visit www.groundsure.com
Homebuyers
the market leading residential search report
3 Thorough flood risk assessment including property specific Flood Re statement
3 Unique historical land use information dating back to the 1840s
3 Unique alerts including London Underground, HS2 and Crossrail 1
ConveyancingFOCUS: Consumer Protection Regulations
CONSUMER PROTECTION REGULATIONS Location Intelligence experts Groundsure are committed to assisting solicitors with their training especially in light of the new Law Society Practice Note on Consumer Protection Regulations The Consumer Protection Regulations apply to any ‘business to consumer’ commercial practice, which in our field would be solicitor / conveyancer to home owner (client). These practices apply to any sale or supply of a product, and can range from simple products like an item of clothing to the services involved in complex processes such as buying a house. The concept of CPRs is to protect the consumer from banned practices which would lead that consumer to make an informed or uninformed decision on their purchase. This is more than prevalent in the practices of the house buying world. Many consumers are unaware of the processes behind this practice and tend to just pay their solicitor the fees and disbursements. But what are these disbursements and how does the consumer know exactly what they are paying for? Best practice suggests client care letters are a great resource for all solicitors to provide to their clients. Client care letters should include all the relevant information on the searches required in a property transaction. These range from mandatory drainage and water searches and local authority CON29 searches, to the Law Society Practice Note recommended searches such as contaminated land and flood risk reports. To ensure transparency to the client, the fee structure should be detailed within this letter and include any additional disbursements such as extra fees for the search provider in light of any adverse results.
How to overcome misleading omissions and banned practices: 1. Be transparent on what an environmental search is, what is included and who the provider is. This links back to giving insufficient information about the product. It is the solicitor’s duty as per the Law Society Practice Note to provide the consumer with all the information they need to make an informed choice. Groundsure are able to assist solicitors with CPD training on why environmental and other searches should be purchased to ensure their knowledge in this field is up to date. 2. a. In many property transactions, further reports are required outside the scope of the standard “environmental search”. These include searches such as HS2, Crossrail, Planning and Energy. It should be best practice to ensure all these costs are provided to the consumer up front in a worst case scenario way and be included in the disbursements. b. It should also be considered that when an environmental report is failed / In Need of Further Assessment that the potential cost implications such as local authority fees are provided to the consumer at the time of purchase. As the price of a product in most circumstances is material information, not providing this in a timely fashion before a transactional decision is made
is likely to amount to a misleading omission. 3. Do not omit material information that the average consumer needs. Ensure the full environmental report, not just the first page is provided to the consumer. Ensure all information is disclosed.
The concept of CPRs is to protect the consumer from banned practices which would lead that consumer to make an informed or uninformed decision on their purchase Why is this important? A consumer now has a new right to seek damages from the “trader” if they incur financial loss that they wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for the “trader’s” actions. In the world of conveyancing and home buying, the purchaser will have recourse to the solicitor for non-disclosure of essential information that could have impacted their decision to purchase a property or not. Ensure you are ahead of the game with Groundsure’s expert CPD and webinar programme, available through Searches UK.
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ConveyancingFOCUS: Buyer Protect
BUYER PROTECT There can be many complications when processing a property transaction. Buyer Protect covers the costs that homebuyers initially have to pay out in case their property transaction fails to complete Having a competitive advantage over other law firms is paramount to surviving in a busy property industry; there are so many options for homebuyers when choosing a firm to handle their property purchase, however wouldn’t it be great if your firm could offer a service that would put you to the top of the list? With Searches UK’s unique and exclusive Buyer Protect Reimbursement Scheme it’s now possible to offer something truly beneficial to your clients. As we all know there can be many complications when processing a property transaction but Buyer Protect covers the costs that homebuyers initially have to pay out in case their property transaction fails to complete. Buyer Protect will protect the homebuyer’s money up to the value of £2,050 and must be added to an order for the homebuyer to be able to benefit from this product. Similar products are available on the market, however Searches UK boast a 100% pay out rate and were the first search provider to introduce and develop this type of product for their clients. Homebuyers will be covered for up to £500 in non-refundable mortgage lender arrangement fees, mortgage broker fees and product and booking fees, as well as up to £750 in valuation fees and structural surveys and £800 in solicitor’s fees and disbursement costs. Andrew Stenning, Managing Director, at Searches UK said: “Buyer Protect is a fantastic reimbursement scheme and a great product for solicitors and conveyancers to offer their clients. This
product can easily be added to a search pack or bundle meaning that all homebuyers can benefit from this product when processing orders through us. We have received great feedback from solicitors, conveyancing and homebuyers alike – these can be viewed on Checkaprofessional.com.”
Having a competitive advantage over other law firms is paramount to surviving in a busy property industry… wouldn’t it be great if your firm could offer a service that would put you to the top of the list? Search Protect is a similar product but this reimbursement scheme will only cover search costs up to the value of £300. A simple online form can be completed if the homebuyer needs to make a claim; all claims will be reviewed within 7 working days and if successful payment will be issued within 10 working days thereafter. If the homebuyer changes their mind they would only be covered by this scheme if the reasons for this decision were included in the terms and conditions of the protection. There are a number of covered outcomes but some of the most popular are if the
property sustained damage during the period between offer and exchange of contracts where the total costs of rectification work exceeded 5% of the property value and if the mortgage lender applied a retention on the mortgage for the property and the figure exceeded 5% of the original sum that had been accepted. Solicitors and conveyancers alike have praised this scheme, which entered the property market in 2013, and are often surprised by the positive impact this product has on their business when they offer it to homebuyers as an additional benefit with their search orders. Homebuyers are covered for a multitude of reasons including those already mentioned and in addition to the vendor having received and accepted an offer from another buyer which was a minimum of £1,000 greater than the offer they had previously accepted and if the property was withdrawn from sale by the vendor due to reasons beyond the homebuyers control. A comprehensive breakdown of this protection can be found by visiting www. buyerprotect.co.uk. To discuss this further with a member of the Searches UK team contact their main office number on 0800 043 1815 for all help and enquiries. For more information about 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 info@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today.
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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CAREER LADDER Tom Backhouse, Managing Director, Terrafirma Mine Searches, tells us about his career journey
WHAT DREW YOU TO WORKING IN THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY? My career started working as a geologist in Cornwall, actively involved in undertaking mining risk assessment for property and land in a part of the country where everyone understands there is a problem. I was immersed in the legacy issues that historical mineral extraction can cause the modern Built Environment and it allowed me to develop a proactive and innovative approach to providing a mining and ground instability risk assessment process to the ever-changing property market. I identified a huge hole (pun intended!) in how professionals in property law view mining risk, almost solely associating the word with Coal and Cornwall. This has led to a complete lack of understanding to where and what the problems associated with mining-related ground instability are and it became the basis of my career and Terrafirma’s ambition to proactively educate, innovate and provide solutions to this problem across the UK. The property market is an exciting and ever-changing environment and one that I and Terrafirma thrive in. AS MANAGING DIRECTOR, WHAT DO YOU LOVE AND HATE ABOUT YOUR ROLE? I don’t hate anything. It has allowed me to develop professionally and personally, meeting fantastic new people and travelling the length and breadth of the UK. I have a unique perspective on environmental risk, approaching it from a very different angle to others and it has allowed Terrafirma to adapt and succeed, responding to client and market demand and influencing the future of mining and ground stability risk assessment in the property industry and across the Built Environment. One other thing that is hugely important to me and something that is forming Terrafirma’s
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solid foundations are young, talented, hard-working graduates and students. Geo-science, in particular, geology is not an easy area to succeed professionally in in the current economic climate and I love to be able to give our students a platform to grow, develop and succeed. WHAT IS YOUR WORKING MOTO? To do something that no one has done before and to positively disrupt the norm. I am a big advocate of change and through Terrafirma, it provides me personally with a platform to innovate. Why do something again, when you can do it first? HOW DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE HELP YOU IN YOUR ROLE? I am a geologist first and foremost and that gives me a completely unique perspective. I am one of the very lucky few that has been able to develop a career and successful business around my passion. I am also an academic by heart and this means I am continuously pushing myself to learn, which feeds back into Terrafirma and our team. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY FOR YOU? Early starts, usually followed first thing by a liaison with the search team, where I will actively get involved with searches from every corner of every county of the UK. This is one of the bits of the job I love, interpreting risk in small villages and towns around the country that nobody associates with mining. A tiny village in Oxfordshire called Stonesfield (clues in the name there!) has a big mining history and there are over 30 mine shafts within a village with only a hundred properties and now, for the first time ever, Terrafirma can provide the information that prospective property purchasers require to ensure they do not complete on a dream property with a potentially devastating secret.
WHAT ARE THE MOST VALUABLE ASSETS YOUR PRODUCTS HAVE OVER OTHERS IN THE MARKET? Terrafirma is a company of firsts and every single search report is a completely new product in the property industry. Our unique approach has meant we combine thousands of new and existing data sources with expert interpretation, ensuring the most accurate mining risk assessment available to the marketplace. Our TerraSearch® platform is the first of its kind, based on Mining Risk Zones, that are another first and produces a Certificate of Mining Risk, which again is another first in the marketplace. It is just at the beginning of its journey, already being used over 100 times a day and growing in use at 50% a month. Our most valuable USP? - There was no proactive and professional face of mining instability in the UK, until Terrafirma, which is the only truly national business which can provide solutions locating, assessing, interpreting, investigating and remediating all past, present and planned mining risk across every corner of the country. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT IN YOUR WORKING CAREER? To not be afraid to do things differently and that hard-work always pays off.
Email: Tom@terrafirmasearch.co.uk Website: www.minesearches.co.uk Telephone: 0748 049 1494 Terrafirma’s range of searches are available through Searches UK.
ConveyancingFOCUS: Meet The Team
MEET THE TEAM Searches UK: Introducing more of our friendly and professional team of industry experts
Samantha Manning, Conveyancing Search Specialist Samantha has previous experience in a client facing role and currently works in the returns department. She reviews, chases and returns searches and finds out ETAs for orders. She supports our clients by answering any queries they may have in regards to their searches and chases the return of their orders. • • •
Samantha loves Zumba and socialising with her friends She has an 11 month old son and they love going swimming together Samantha would love to go to Disneyland in Florida and visit New York at Christmas time
01273 764 920 | samantha@searchesuk.co.uk
Charlotte Murray, Conveyancing Search Specialist Charlotte used to work for Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club helping clients on a day-to-day basis with any queries they had and now works in the ordering team dealing primarily with local authority searches. She liaises with councils across the country to order, chase and investigate searches in more detail. • • •
Whilst working for BHAFC she won Highly Commended in the Young Achiever category at the Adur and Sussex Business Awards Last year her dance team held the British Championship Title One day she wants to horseback ride along a beach in Barbados
01273 222 788 | charlotte@searchesuk.co.uk
Emma Stamp, New Business Executive Emma comes from a conveyancing background and worked primarily with property searches. As a New Business Executive she is responsible for ensuring new clients have all the information they need to place an order with Searches UK and she arranges meetings with clients so a member of our team can meet the solicitors and conveyancers that we work with. • • •
Emma loves exercise and regularly does the ‘insanity’ workout She loves travelling, particularly to Majorca, but she once got stung by a sea urchin whilst snorkelling there Cows petrify her!
0800 043 1815 | emmastamp@searchesuk.co.uk
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ConveyancingFOCUS: Commercial Property Searches
COMMERCIAL SEARCHES Can Searches UK assist with your Commercial Property searches? If you specialise in commercial property transactions Searches UK can assist with your searches. They offer a full range of reports which are designed predominantly for commercial properties or development sites. Their skilled team can create bespoke commercial property packs or advise on the best reports for the property or piece of land from leading experts such as Groundsure, Landmark, DevAssist and Terrafirma Mine Searches. Their council (official) or regulated (personal) local authority searches can be carried out for commercial properties as well as their drainage and water searches. Below are a few of the commercial searches available to Searches UK clients: Groundsure Reports Groundsure Screening is a commercial property environmental risk screening search which addresses The Law Society’s warning card on contaminated land. They use the very latest data and information from Groundsure’s bespoke database and their environmental consultants will provide tailored advice if required. This is an entry level report designed for lower value commercial transactions, multi-site property portfolios or large estates or landholdings.
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Groundsure Review is a combined report which reveals data about environmental and flood issues. This report fulfils the requirements of The Law Society Warning Card on contaminated land and also considers potential operational environmental risk liability under the Environmental Damage Regulations. It is written by an Environmental Consultant who will also be able to discuss the findings in more detail if necessary.
Searches UK offer a full range of reports which are designed predominantly for commercial properties or development sites Groundsure Floodview is a complete commercial property flood risk search comprising a fully interpreted flood risk assessment including a view on the likely availability of flood risk insurance for the property. Information will be provided about tidal and river flooding, areas
benefiting from flood defence and surface water flooding (pluvial). Groundsure Planview provides historic planning data covering the last 10 years, designed specifically to assist commercial property transactions. The report includes information on retail planning applications, major project applications, local infrastructure, mobile mast data, local amenities, environmentally sensitive areas and much more. Landmark Reports Sitcheck Assess from Landmark is ideal for use in the vast majority of commercial transactions. The report provides a detailed environmental assessment including information about the impact of contamination on the value of the property. The Argyll Environmental team will provide a professional opinion about the site being searched and information about the current and historical land use will be revealed. Argyll SiteSolutions Combined report is a premium environmental search which combines a detailed contaminated land risk assessment along with a flood risk assessment. The main risks are clearly summarised which allows you to relay key parts of the document to your client quickly and easily. A professional commentary is provided by experts who will interpret the
ConveyancingFOCUS: Commercial Property Searches
data and a robust ECO risk assessment is included which considers all the ecological receptors listed in the Statutory Guidance. Sitecheck Flood from Landmark provides the most comprehensive data about surface water flood risks, the susceptibility to groundwater flooding and geological indications for commercial properties and sites. An independent professional opinion is included along with an Aviva flood risk and insurability assessment. Sitecheck Planning provides details about planning applications and developments within a wider area of the commercial property. The report contains essential information, ensuring property professionals and their clients have the key information required about proposed developments and land use designations near a property. As well as the detail of applications and land use designations, further useful neighbourhood information data is included on topics such as schools, crime rates, insurance claims and population demographics. This makes Sitecheck Planning the most comprehensive commercial planning product on the market, giving the conveyancer and their client the best view of the wider area surrounding a commercial property. DevAssist Reports DevAcquire ensures that you understand the risk of development impacting the commercial property and also looks to make sure that the asset’s underlying value will not be affected by development. The property may also benefit from development potential in part, or in its
entirety. A Landmark or Groundsure planning report is included alongside an explanation of the emerging and adopted Local Plan Policy, identification of land allocated for development where no relevant planning history exists and the development potential of the subject property.
Their skilled team can create bespoke commercial property packs or advise on the best reports for the property or piece of land from leading experts Terrafirma Reports The Certificate of Mining Risk is an instant, expert and cost effective answer to whether your client’s property is within an area of risk from past, present and planned mineral extraction. This certificate is derived from Terrafirma’s unrivalled database, which is being constantly updated by their dedicated team of geologists in their Research & Development department. The Mineral Extraction Search Report is the only search report available in the conveyancing market to screen the risk to property from over 35 minerals extracted across England and Wales. This ‘All in
One’ report is aimed at mitigating risk to property, even in areas of historical, present and planned mining and mineral extraction, providing concise conclusions and a ‘Risk Zone’ search plan. The Interpretative Mine Search Report is Terrafirma’s most detailed and comprehensive mining search, only necessary when a property has been identified to be at a High Risk from mining related subsidence. This report is unique, in that it is produced and includes interpretations by the country’s leading mining geologists, as well as a detailed search plan and professional recommendations to Terrafirma’s national network of ground specialists for further action, including physical investigation and remediation. Terrafirma’s range of reports can be searched on commercial properties up to 10 hectares and a bespoke quote will be required for The Interpretative Search as well as for any piece of land that is larger than 10 hectares for phases 1 and 2. To discuss this further with a member of the Searches UK team contact their main office number on 0800 043 1815 for all help and enquiries. For more information about 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 info@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today.
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ConveyancingFOCUS: Risk and Compliance
RISKY BUSINESS Is your law firm fully compliant? Searches UK can help There are more and more instances of solicitors being held accountable when a potential risk to a property has not been clearly identified to the homebuyer which has resulted in a financial loss to the property owner. Searches UK understand the importance of maintaining best practice within a firm and ensuring solicitors are compliant at all times during a property transaction. That’s why they have a dedicated Risk & Compliance Director who has over 25 years of experience in the legal industry and a wealth of skills that have enabled her to help secure Lexcel and CQS accreditations for a number of firms. Equipped with this knowledge, Faye Stenning, is able to assist firms in this regard, in addition to providing specialist assistance with compliance practices and processes, helping to preserve high levels of best practice and providing training and support for Data Protection, Equality & Diversity, AntiBribery, E-Commerce etc. Top Tips from our expert: 1. Complete a Compliance Health Check, available through Searches UK, by Legal Eye which reviews your client care letter, estimate of fees & disbursements, terms of business, email footer, website and more. 2. Ensure you record all instances where a client is dissatisfied. Not only is this a requirement, but once a year a thorough review of this record will enable you to spot any trends or weaknesses which may suggest if any
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3.
extra support, training or guidance is needed. Keep central records of all clients and note when and how their ID check was last carried out and when they confirmed their instructions for you to act for them for each matter. This will help fee-earners check for any potential conflicts and also ensure that no case progresses without complying with the important AML regulations or without the client’s confirmation.
Searches UK understand the importance of maintaining best practice within a firm and ensuring solicitors are compliant at all times during a property transaction 4.
Have a welcoming, informative and thorough induction process for all new staff so that from the very beginning they know what is required of them, who to report issues or concerns to and who to ask for support or guidance from. In any business reliable and attentive staff can be the biggest asset so it’s important
to ensure they fully understand their role, have undertaken training in key areas and know how to go the extra mile to ensure client satisfaction. As a company who take their risk and compliance responsibilities seriously, Searches UK follow the guidelines that they provide to their clients. They are members of and subscribers to CoPSO, PCCB, The Search Code and IPSA. They were pioneers of the Legal Eye Quality Standard which assesses best practice within a firm and they have held their award since 2012. They carry out quarterly audits on their searches and feature the results on their website for their clients to review. All search reports are covered by a £2 million insurance policy alongside a further £2 million specialist search insurance. If you have any questions concerning your risk and compliance practices, please contact Faye Stenning directly on 01273 229 333 or faye@searchesuk.co.uk to discuss your concerns in more detail. This service is completely free to clients of Searches UK. To discuss this further with a member of the Searches UK team contact their main office number on 0800 043 1815 for all help and enquiries. For more information about any of the products and services from Searches UK visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. Alternatively email them at info@searchesuk.co.uk to speak to one of their dedicated team today.
ConveyancingFOCUS: St Giles
THE INSURANCE ACT-HOW WILL IT AFFECT YOU? Simon Gale, Solicitor, at St Giles explains how this legislation will apply to your firm On the 12th August the Insurance Act 2016 (the Act) comes into force. The focus of the legislation is on disclosure of information, application of conditions, warranties in policy wordings and remedies for fraudulent claims. The SRA is currently undertaking a consultation on the Act to ensure that the Minimum Terms and Conditions (MTC) (which are the conditions under which solicitor’s professional indemnity insurance is written) comply with the new provisions. One of the new clauses in the Act is a Duty of Disclosure and Fair Presentation. Currently, there is an onus on the insured to disclose all material information relevant to the risk. The Act replaces this with a duty to provide a “fair presentation”. This requires disclosure of all information he/she knows (or ought to know) and/or provide sufficient information leading to the insurer raising further enquiries if this is deemed necessary. As you prepare for renewal, you will need to consider to whom this duty applies within your firm and how you apply what we “ought to know”. It would appear that it will
apply to all senior management of the firm and those who arrange the insurance. They will consider what reasonable investigations are to be made and what will have to be disclosed to insurers. Failure to comply with this would ordinarily give the insurer the
As you prepare for renewal, you will need to consider to whom this duty applies within your firm and how you apply it right to void the policy where the insured has deliberately or recklessly failed to provide a fair representation. However, this is in direct conflict with the MTC where Insurers cannot void policies but just seek reimbursement. The SRA consultation will
consider this and decide what changes, if any, are to be made to the MTC. Whilst the SRA consultation is pending we cannot provide a definitive guide as to how you should interpret the Act. However, what you can do is start the preparation for renewal early to make sure that whoever is responsible for dealing with the insurance renewal can seek all necessary information in accordance with the requirements of the Act. The more processes in place to gather the information, the easier it will be to comply. A specialist broker can assist you in doing this. They will have the knowhow and access to markets that will allow you to entrust your renewal to them. Non specialist and tied brokers will not give you the independence and complete market coverage that you need. Any further information you require with regard to The Insurance Act or assistance with your PII renewal please contact Simon Gale, Solicitor, at St Giles on 020 8236 7424
WE KNOW... …Solicitors Professional Indemnity 0208 236 7420 weknow@stgilespi.co.uk www.stgilespi.co.uk
St Giles Legal & Professional Risks Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
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ConveyancingFOCUS: Searches UK Events
Legalex
EVENTS AND CONFERENCES At Searches UK we love to get out and meet our clients. Here are just some of the events we have attended – and are looking forward to attending…
Back in time Legalex 2016 Legalex was bigger and better than ever this year with over 2000 solicitors and legal professionals flocking to the ExCeL in London for this epic 2 day event. Searches UK could be found at the entrance of the exhibition on stand L400 with their art gallery concept: ‘The Art of Conveyancing Searches’. Delegates were guided through their wide variety of conveyancing searches for both residential and commercial property transactions as well as their many added value benefits including reimbursement schemes, quotation platforms and case management systems.
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Moneyfacts Awards 2016 Searches UK were selected as a finalist in the Moneyfacts Awards 2016 in the Best Conveyancing/Legal Search Service category. Finalists were determined based on the feedback from an intermediary audience, alongside Moneyfacts’s own research of the industry throughout the year. The awards ceremony took place on Tuesday 7th June 2016 in the Pavilion at the Tower of London. Searches UK was the only search company to be included in this category and were independently chosen for their excellence in the sector. When this edition went to print the winners were yet to be announced. Visit www.searchesuk.co.uk for more information.
ConveyancingFOCUS: Searches UK Events
Searches UK have met with hundreds of solicitors and conveyancers to discuss the edge Searches UK has as a leading conveyancing search provider
Future events Modern Law Conveyancing Awards 2016 This event will take place on Thursday 14th July at The Rum Warehouse in Liverpool, drawing conveyancing professionals from across the industry to find out if they’ve won awards in categories such as Conveyancing Firm of the Year, Innovation of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and Outstanding Achievement of the Year. A specialist judging panel has been selected including Searches UK’s very own Managing Director, Andrew Stenning. The Modern Law Conveyancing Awards seek to identify and highlight the sparkling talent, innovation and quality which can be found in abundance in the conveyancing arena. www. mlconveyancingawards.co.uk
LFS Conference & Awards 2016 Introducing a new venue to delegates attending this event, the LFS Conference and Awards will take place in the VOX Centre at the NEC in Birmingham on Wednesday 14th September. Searches UK will be exhibiting at the conference during the day, meeting new people and discussing the benefits of using their services in more detail. Whilst in the evening the team plan to let their hair down and enjoy a wonderful 3 course dinner alongside other legal professionals. Searches UK are also delighted to sponsor the ‘Casino Party Pit’ which will take place at the Genting Casino towards the end of the evening. www.lfsconference.co.uk
Brought to you by Searches UK | www.searchesuk.co.uk
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ALL YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL SEARCHES UNDER ONE ROOF NOW WITH INTEGRATED PLANNING RESULTS AND MAPPING
The RiskView Residential service offers a simple, helpful and accessible way to view all environmental data for a property and now you can complete the picture for your clients by opting for a Plansearch Plus with every RiskView Residential order. You will continue to receive both reports as usual. Any planning application information highlighted in your Plansearch Plus will be automatically included alongside the environmental data in the viewer for the homeowner to explore. RiskView Residential is quick and easy to use as it only includes identified risks. You can now discover the context and scale of these features via both the online viewer and maps within the PDF report itself. However you work you can quickly gain the clarity and understanding you need to advise your clients and retain a concise yet complete due diligence report for your files.
If you would like to know more about Landmark’s RiskView Residential report, please contact our customer services team:
0844 844 9966 helpdesk@landmark.co.uk
Š2016 Landmark information Group Ltd
ConveyancingFOCUS: Mapping Property Risk
MAPPING PROPERTY RISK Homebuyers rely on their conveyancing solicitor to be their final ‘eyes and ears’ when it comes to purchasing their home. RiskView Residential offers a full environmental and planning due-diligence solution As prospective buyers, many take the time to find a home that ticks as many boxes on their wish list as possible; the right number of bedrooms, in a location they like and at a price they can afford. They may well have also undertaken their own research into the area, such as the nearby schools or leisure facilities, or they may have even driven around the neighbourhood to check for local parks, pubs or other places that are important to them. We know it is the most expensive purchase anyone is likely to make, so it’s important that it not only meets their lifestyle needs, but that the property doesn’t present them with any risks or issues that may not be visible upon viewing the home. For example, does the buyer know if the property is at risk of flooding? It may be a lovely sunny day on viewing the property, but what happens in times of bad weather? Or, is there a new development planned nearby that could have a negative impact on the property value or the surrounding area? Most importantly, if a homebuyer doesn’t believe the information was made available or explained to them at the outset and later has an issue then they may pursue a legal negligence case against their solicitor - for example, if a planning application has a negative impact on their enjoyment or even future value or saleability of the home and they feel they were not advised of this prepurchase. To help conveyancers in this matter, Landmark launched a digital ‘bundle’ that not only provides full environmental and planning due diligence, but also delivers information through both a PDF showing the headlines and a unique online map, making it easy for both solicitors and buyers to quickly see what and where any risks
may be present and what action to take as a result. Mapping Out Environmental & Planning Intelligence RiskView Residential presents the findings previously provided in four separate reports: Flood Risk, Contaminated Land, Ground Hazards, and Energy & Infrastructure, and includes access to the interactive map viewer as standard. The report is further supplemented with advice and recommendations from expert environmental consultants, Argyll Environmental.
Is there a new development planned nearby that could have a negative impact on the property value or the surrounding area? The latest addition to this map view is the information from the Plansearch Plus report. The accompanying report provides a comprehensive view of a variety of issues, including planning applications, land use designations, housing and neighbourhood demographics and rights of way, whilst the planning applications themselves are added to the online viewer meaning that it now takes seconds to spot which might affect a purchasing decision. Using this report means that homeowners
can quickly see where any potential environmental risks may be present within a 250m proximity of the property, in addition to active/pending/approved residential and commercial planning applications up to a 750m radius via the mapped viewer. Plus, with everything visible on an Ordnance Survey map, it’s easy to see where any risks may occur. RiskView Residential offers environmental and planning due-diligence solutions, which means that via a single order, users can be confident that a rigorous assessment has been undertaken. This creates peace of mind for homebuyers and demonstrates compliance (and best practice) from the conveyancer’s perspective. The RiskResidential and Plansearch Plus bundle, available through Searches UK, not only speeds up transaction processing through the clean, concise delivery of information but saves even more time and closes a compliance gap as it removes the need to identify a different suite of reports for each transaction and in doing so prevents different choices being made by different fee-earners or support staff. Ultimately, digital services can support conveyancers in quickly accessing the environmental and planning data they need. Providing thorough due diligence and enabling their clients to make an informed purchase decision safe in the knowledge that their solicitor has delivered them the very best care and support. For more information click on www.landmark.co.uk or call 0844 844 9966.
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#DreamHome
It’s more than just a property…... Let’s work together to help your clients buy their dream home. 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