By Legal Futures’ Associate Landmark Information
Landmark Information, the property, land and environmental data specialist, has announced its decision to withdraw its executive membership from the Council of Property Search Companies (CoPSO).
As a market leading environmental report provider, Landmark will adopt a more prominent position in helping the industry, its businesses and their customers to better understand what should be expected as part of a property search. Transparent, accessible and robust environmental report standards will assist with the critical task of rigorous environmental risk management.
Service to Landmark’s customers will be unaffected, as they will continue to benefit from the same consumer assurances on complaint resolutions with continued access to the Property Ombudsman Scheme. All Landmark searches will continue to be delivered in accordance with the Search Code, as endorsed by both the CML Handbook and Law Society Handbook.
Explaining the decision, Chris Loaring, Managing Director – Legal, Landmark Information said: “Our decision to withdraw is based on the belief that a rigorous and transparent approach to governance standards is needed in our changing industry, so customers can have full confidence in the services they receive.
“Across 25 years working in the UK property industry Landmark has been at the forefront of industry change, and we’ve witnessed the speed and significance of these industry changes grow exponentially in recent years. It is with this in mind that we have decided to withdraw our Executive Membership of COPSO.
“The industry has changed with trends influencing the property search market including digitisation, AI and open source data, all of which are set to increase their footprint across businesses active in the sector. The challenge is to balance the progression made possible from these trends, with core underlying requirements around data primacy and integrity. Clearly, these two facets of the industry are interlinked and our ultimate success is contingent on achieving this balance.
“So with all the experience from 25 years in the industry and a continued appetite to drive new and innovative changes for the benefit of all industry stakeholders, we are excited to be advancing the support available to customers and to widen industry best practice.”
Further details on Landmark’s plans will follow soon via the following website: http://go.landmark.co.uk/setting-new-standards.
Since 1994, Landmark Information has provided a comprehensive suite of environmental and planning due diligence search reports to support property solicitors and conveyancers, for both residential and commercial property transactions.
For more information regarding Landmark Information visit www.landmark.co.uk/landmark-legal, telephone 0844 844 9966 or follow the team on Twitter.