tm blog

Flooding is the biggest natural threat that the UK faces and, in England alone, more than 5 million properties are at risk, equivalent to nearly 1 in 6.

However, it is just not just the risk of coastal or river flooding that poses a threat to properties in the UK, there are types of flooding that many property owners are simply not aware of, amongst which is Groundwater flooding.

The debate, on whether personal searches are ‘worth the risk’ for solicitors, continues to rage, as it did most recently in the Conveyancing Quality Standard debate forum on LinkedIn. 

For many conveyancers, particularly those who have had a great many years’ experience in the profession, official searches are the ‘Gold Standard’. Certainly there is the perception that going straight to source reduces the risk of anything getting lost in translation.

The UK is now firmly established as one of the top 10 markets for solar PV worldwide. Since January 2013, almost 400MW worth of solar power was deployed - despite one of the worst winters on record.

We are pleased to announce the schedule for our Educational Programme for Jan – June 2014.

Featuring a mixture of regional live events and online webinars, we will be bringing together key partners from within the industry to deliver knowledge-packed CPD sessions.

Home Moving Trends Survey

Conveyancers do not need to slash prices to win business, results from the latest Home Moving Trends Survey reveal.

Less than 1 in 5 of those surveyed in the annual report, which was carried out by the Property Academy in association with TM Group, answered that they chose their conveyancer based on price, whilst almost half of respondents answered that they simply chose the conveyancer that their estate agent recommended.

Supply and Demand

As we enter 2014, the property market is looking its healthiest for years. Persistently low interest rates, falling unemployment and the Government’s ‘Help to Buy’ scheme have unleashed a generation of pent-up first-time-buyers on the market and HMRC are reporting that transaction volumes are at their highest since 2007 (graph below) whilst the Bank of England’s forward guidance sees interest rates remaining at record lows.

The Autumn Statement was presented to the House of Commons on the 5^th December; the outlook seemed to be positive for all except the Shadow Chancellor.

Lockton Companies have joined forces with TM Group to present

Property Law; a risky business

Thursday 13th February 2014

Bristol Zoo, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA
 

Residential and commercial conveyancing accounts for more claims than any other work-type.

Residential and commercial conveyancing work undertaken by solicitors accounts for more claims against the profession, by number and value, than any other work-type.

This is not some statistical bias arising from the sheer volume of property transactions. Claims consistently account for a higher percentage of fees earned than any other practice area, by a significant margin. Lockton’s Work-type risk profile chart – which is compiled using data from a range of solicitor PI insurers – consistently places Commercial Property and Residential Property work as the two highest risk areas of practice. 

Swirling, sniffing and swishing ... though it may look complicated or even snobbish, all wine-tasting is actually based on common sense. It's simply a way to pause for a moment and to pay attention to the impact of a wine on all your senses and make your own quality judgement.

The Three Step Tasting Guide:  Look; Smell; Taste.