Property
Negligent conveyancers cannot dodge liability because of fraud
Negligent conveyancers should not be able to avoid liability because it emerges later that their client was engaged in mortgage fraud, the Supreme Court has ruled.
Solicitor who changed dates of charges with Tipp-Ex struck off
A property lawyer who used Tipp-Ex to change the dates of charges he needed to register at Companies House has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
MP urges government to raise conveyancing standards
A Conservative MP has urged the government to establish “minimum standards regarding searches and assessments of risk” by residential conveyancers.
LeO warns over emerging trend of holiday sickness complaints
The Legal Ombudsman has warned law firms against making holiday sickness claims without “verifying the version of events” obtained by claims management companies as complaints rise.
Law Society conveyancing scheme a “barrier to competition”
The Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme is a “market barrier”, blocking entry to non-solicitor law firms, the Competition and Markets Authority has been told.
Report calls for disclosure, not ban, of estate agent referral fees
The much-anticipated report from National Trading Standards on estate agents charging referral fees has not recommended banning the practice, calling instead for mandatory disclosure.
Property industry urges sellers to instruct lawyers from the start
Conveyancers, estate agents, surveyors and others have signed up to an ‘industry pledge’ that urges sellers to instruct a lawyer before, or at the same time as, they put their property on the market.
Convicted conveyancer struck off for facilitiating mortgage fraud
A conveyancer who recklessly facilitated a mortgage fraud before being convicted of three money laundering offences and then failing to surrender to bail has been struck off.
Second summary judgment issued against firm in three months
The High Court has issued a second summary judgment ruling against EAD Solicitors arising from the alleged fraudulent activities of a businessman in collusion with a former partner of the Liverpool law firm.
Solicitor under-declared sale prices to pocket stamp duty
A solicitor who falsified returns to HM Revenue & Customs so as to underpay stamp duty land tax and pocket the difference in a bid to keep his firm afloat has been struck off.
Blog
Listening, learning and leading The Solicitor’s Charity with care
As I prepare to hand over the mantle of chair of The Solicitor’s Charity next month, it doesn’t feel like an end. Instead, it feels like a wonderful journey.
Is competition in the legal sector stifling innovation?
As the legal sector’s competitive landscape continues to evolve, Nobel laureates remind us that innovation is not inevitable,and that competition may not always be an incentive to innovate.
What high-performing consumer claims firms get right
Recurring concerns about parts of the volume claims sector show that the gap between well-run firms and those struggling to manage volume effectively is widening.
