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Remote working, home schooling, furloughed staff and Local Authority delays are just a few challenges faced by conveyancers during the past year.  This is set against a backdrop of growing caseloads with HMRC figures showing a rise of 24% in property transactions compared with December 2019.

Easements exist in the majority of freehold titles and so they are important to conveyancers and buyers alike.  Easements are certain rights that a person has over another’s land. Rights range from very widespread forms of rights of way, most rights to use service conduits such as telecommunications cables, power supply lines, supply pipes and drains, rights to use communal gardens and rights of light, to more strained and novel forms. All types are subject to general rules and constraints.

At its worst, contaminated land may present a hazard to potential users of the land or environment. Although in most cases the risks associated with living on sites that have been previously used by industry are low.  Users may become exposed to contaminants such as by inhalation of hazardous materials and also through food grown on the land. There may be indirect effects on users such as damage to buildings. Substances can leach out of the soil to pollute groundwater, rivers or ponds. Some contaminants may be corrosive, and some can cause explosion or fire.

Recent government figures have shown an increase in the number of new build homes being built in England. Robert Jenrick, Housing Secretary said: “The figures show that the number of new homes developers have started building have more than doubled compared to the previous quarter and the number of completed homes has almost tripled. This reflects the government’s commitment throughout the pandemic to support industry to enable construction sites to remain open and operate safely.

The world of conveyancing has changed dramatically in the last 12 months.  The March 2020 lockdown created pent-up demand which was then amplified by the SDLT holiday, combine that demand with new ways of working and the result is the most challenging period most in the conveyancing profession can remember.