tm blog

We are now able to email search order confirmations to you rather than just over the phone. If this is a service you’re not familiar with at the moment, contact your Account Manager in the usual way or our Client Services team who will enable it for you.

We understand that fielding queries from data providers on New Build properties can be time consuming and a hassle, which is why we created our New Build Managed Service for both Commercial and Residential clients, to help make things quicker and easier.

Taking your basic instructions, our team will create and map your properties on the tmconvey platform, order your required searches and liaise with data providers to; reduce your incoming call and interruptions, improve your turnaround times and help meet tight developer timeframes. There is also the ability to upload multiple plans per case, which we know is often a requirement with New Build plots.

This service is £9 plus VAT, in addition to the usual search costs

The new decade and a general election victory for the Tories, has brought an end to the uncertainty of political stalemate which has had a major impact on growth in our wider economy since before the 2016 referendum.
But just how much influence does this have on the New Build sector?

Well, a significant amount actually. The sector has been slowly contracting since the country voted to leave the EU in June 2016.    Compared with industry statistics from 2015 from the MHCLG (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government’s) on new dwellings, the 2019 figures suggest a determination to improve but highlights a slowdown in the industry. Statistically, since 2012-13, new build completions have increased by 65% from 118,540 to 195,290 in 2017/18. An additional 25,000 were additional dwelling conversions from retail outlets, as digitisation is leading to a decline in the need for retail space and significant changes in the High Street.

The 2019 figures show determination but also highlight a slowdown in growth compared with the last time the country experienced over 2% growth. From this, it’s fair to say that developer progress was clearly stymied by economic forces. Residential transactions also dropped by a further 2%, their lowest since 2013, to just under 84,490, a 16.5% decline compared to June 2018. Jumping forward to June 2019 and the fall dropped further by almost 10% to just over 25% on the previous year.

The impending fear of Brexit had a considerable impact on import ability and the price of housebuilding materials. Skilled labour forces started to reduce as foreign specialists previously working in the UK started to leave for less uncertain economic climates elsewhere. Investor enquiries dropped and with them so did demand.

But there is hope and a recognised need to change. The Government’s ongoing recognition of the need for reform to the industry is now in its second year of a pledge to deliver 300,000 homes per year by the mid 2020’s. These reforms are also designed to make major improvements to the planning process and attract much needed investment. These developments are analysed further in the latest tmgroup White Paper, Building Together: The collaborative New Dawn of New Build. 

The paper contains robust data from all areas of the sector to consider what could be done to influence the speed of change across the landscape of residential and commercial new build property sectors throughout the next decade and makes for interesting reading.
It also provides evidence from industry insiders that the Government have addressed the need for the homes without the full understanding of the issues hindering new build developments in the UK.

A planned 2% growth in GDP(gross) would be a growth driver in construction output, but the effects of the last 3 years have seen reduced consumer and business confidence year on year fuelled by change and uncertainty. The recent election stimulates the prediction of an end to the Brexit quagmire with growth of 1.4% predicted this year and a slow but steady rise from the lowest point of 1.3% in 2019.

Issues such as under-funding, inconsistency in Local Authority approaches, migration of planning officers from the public to the private sector, a lack of legislative protection, technological disadvantages and time wasting, among others, have all contributed to a fundamental lack of impact in the early stages of change. There is much more radical reform and collaboration from all stakeholders needed to have a major impact in the next phase of progression. This is also needed to encourage the turnaround of waning investor demand with fewer feeling confident enough to enter the market.

Ongoing developments

The Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission was set up to tackle the challenge of poor quality design and build, and in July 2019 began to define proposals around the sustainability and aesthetics of future builds to meet the needs of a growing population. However, a number of central and peripheral factors are affecting the potential for this to happen and require consistent and continued effort to have a more definitive impact.

The New Build environment remains fraught with issues and stakeholders are more guarded than ever to protect their own interests. This is affecting efficiencies, cost and above all, the customer experience. Concerns regarding communication between key parties in the new build process are leading to strained relationships in the sector and a culture built around blame for each other.

Over a third of customers have reported poor treatment and communication and a lack of accountability from developers who pile on the pressure to pay a deposit only to be left unsatisfied with the quality and integrity of the sales information.

Quality variances have affected the market with the NNHC Satisfaction survey reporting 99% of customers with snagging issues on new properties. Legislation is being called for to regulate snagging surveys and their completion, after a suggestion of reduced motivation to fix issues comes into play once a deal is complete. Almost half of those (42%) reported at least six serious snags with 26% experiencing over 16 or more issues. All leading to a lack of understanding and empathy and perceived imbalance of power away from the consumer.

A drive to recognise the importance of ensuring greater developer accountability and consumer power is needed to improve the public perception of the sector. The industry needs consumers and builders on the same page regarding quality standards and the lack of legislative protection serves to manifest dissatisfaction and disillusionment.

The report finds that the consumer journey needs considerable improvement. Coupled with a review of the sales process to move to become more like the Scottish or Continental systems to prevent the growing number of fall-throughs.
Smaller and mid-range developers need the opportunity to build, to bring more choice into the market. They also need to surround themselves with competent teams covering all aspects of the build from start to finish to equip them with competitive advantage.

Proposed changes

The research shows that customers are changing in their expectations and also their acceptance levels. A unified data source shows that £270m was lost in 2019 due to housing fall-through’s, adding up to a third of all UK housing transactions.
New targets suggesting completing local authority searches within 10 working days are a world away from the current picture. The average search can take up to 9 weeks with the slowest reported at 95 days. Alternatively, some are returned within 2 days, proving the need for a more holistic and standardised system.

Planning reform is urgently needed with a demand for more commercially minded and unbiased assessment of planning applications and more planning officers coming in from outside local government.
Further technological improvements in searches and at the legal stage can speed up the progress on site and retail sales. Better in-house technology could help Local Authorities to speed up planning applications.

Estate agency regulation and qualified entry from a recognised body such as RICS could support the vast number of credible and conscientious contributors to the market and separate them from the cowboys. This will build on the NAEA Propertymark required to raise industry standards and increase the skill set.

Sharing best practice among all parties in the industry will be the greatest help to create progress for all. This is seen as the biggest barrier by industry professionals and consumers and particularly at the small and mid-range end of the market who are less equipped to work as effectively or employ in house specialists like their larger competitors.

Collaboration, communication, consistency, and innovation is essential if all stakeholders are to achieve a streamlined and cohesive sector with harmonious progress. We are moving forward but there is still a long way to go.


For more information and to read the report in full click here.

February 2020 sees the launch of the latest addition to our suite of services; our new Consumer Portal. Designed to streamline and simplify the conveyancing process and offer both increased transparency and an enhanced client experience in property transactions, all through an online gateway.

There were 870,000 property transactions in the UK in 2019, with the average case taking up to 20 weeks to completion, with a high risk attached. The SRA reported that conveyancing received the second largest number of complaints across all legal areas.

Almost 20% of the 7,500 client complaints to the Legal Ombudsman are focused on delays, hidden costs, failure to follow instructions or provide adequate advice or background information by the solicitor. Our Consumer Portal has been designed to support firms with these issues by providing total transparency and enhancing the client experience throughout.

In the recent Frontiers 2020: Legal IT Landscapes survey to over 60 law firms from Legal Practice Management (LPM) Magazine, client-facing technology, including portals, are seen as business critical to achieve competitive advantage, with all firms facing an increasing challenge in effective client communication.

Practice management and client engagement systems are where the majority of firms store their key client data. However, many firms are disadvantaged by having multiple “on-premise” systems that do not integrate efficiently or effectively. To align strategy and innovation, a more holistic approach is needed and systems that do not talk to each other will pose a huge barrier.

The new Consumer Portal is part of the tmconnect platform, currently used by over 250 law firms, which can integrate with your existing practice management system and provides additional advantages, such as:

• Workflow management
• Payment gateways
• Anti Money-Laundering (AML)
• Searches
• Milestone management
• Post completion

The Consumer Portal element comes with a host of features and automated processes designed to address the challenges at the core of the complaint issues and provide a connected property community of law firms, estate agents and lenders.

With consumer expectation of being able to transact immediately and digitally now prevalent in all areas of life, the Consumer Portal includes mobile capability, providing instant remote accessibility for your clients at their convenience. Other features include:

• Increased transparency and clarity on both sides of the property transaction
• Enhanced value-added customer experience and benefits
• “On the move” communication and updates
• Two-way integration with tm client systems and consumers
• Cost and time savings through process automation
• Full regulatory compliance and encrypted document sharing
• A trusted supplier partnership with ongoing support and development benefits

The 2020 Legal IT Landscapes survey goes on to predict that firms who understand the connections between their client systems and the importance of data and its context within the business, will be the ones who gain competitive advantage in the market.

As an ISO27001 accredited supplier, our Consumer Portal offers futureproofing capability with secure and robust client confidentiality included as a standard . Automated “intelligent forms” provide increased efficiency and reduced manual data entry, leaving more opportunity to concentrate on client relationships.

For further information or a demo of the Consumer Portal or other tmgroup services, please contact helpdesk@tmgroup.co.uk or call 0800 840 5571 or speak to your local account manager.

Click here to book a demo

Landmark’s flagship flood report with qualified Flood Risk Consultant assesses every high-risk Landmark Flood report

In January 2020, Landmark’s flagship residential flood report, Homecheck Flood, is being relaunched as Landmark Flood. Landmark has been looking for ways to make it easier for conveyancers to provide a complete service for their clients.

Flood risk can be a difficult and complex topic for you to support a home buyer on. A Further Action result can lead to delays in the transaction, as clients struggle to understand the risk they may be taking on. Landmark Flood ensures more Passed reports as their Consultancy team assess every high risk. The Insurability section also provides guidance on determining whether the property is likely to be insurable and affordable. With current environmental concerns, this will enable you to give your clients clear guidance backed up with solid data.

Long term flood risk is a major concern for homebuyers

There are two important elements when it comes to flood risk. The first, and most important, is whether the property is likely to be insurable. The second, more emotive element, is the risk of flooding at the property. While insurance may be available, this does not stop the emotional impact and disruption of a flood event for the homeowner. It makes a huge difference whether the cost of relocation and repairing the property and contents are covered, but flood events can still be devastating for the occupants. 

Every Landmark Flood report gives a professional opinion

A qualified Flood Risk Consultant assesses every high-risk Landmark Flood report. Rather than relying on data alone to inform whether a report has a Further Action outcome, their in-house Consultants assess each high-risk property and make an informed judgment. This reduces the number of false positives that are flagged and means more Passed reports. It gives you peace of mind, knowing the advice you give your clients is backed up by the opinion of a professional.

Relying on an automated report can sometimes lead to delayed transactions. This is due to data having the potential to flag issues at a property that may not truly representative of the overall risk.

Landmark’s Consultancy team have extensive experience in providing pragmatic flood risk assessments and spotting false positives in data. For example, where areas of high risk are confined to low points and aren’t likely to reach the house, or where the resolution of the data is over exaggerating the risk. 

Importantly, their Consultancy team are also on hand to support wherever a true high risk remains.  The team can support your client by explaining the outcome and suggesting the best next steps, meaning a quicker resolution and a smoother transaction.

Landmark Flood delivers all the information conveyancers need

Landmark Flood includes: 

•Consultant assessment on all high-risk sites

•Increased Pass results

•Unique, digital online viewer for on and offsite flooding risk

•Insurability section

•Clear next steps

•Consideration of all key sources of flooding

To find out more about Landmark Flood, please contact your Account Manager

Planning data can cause delays and frustrations

When someone is planning on buying and then renovating their new home, planning data can throw a spanner in the works. Client queries can be time-consuming and costly.

It can be hard to ascertain what exactly your client wants when it comes to planning. They may be unsure themselves or think what they want won’t need permission. In addition, large volumes of data can be confusing for the home buyer and could mean vital information about their purchase is missed. 

How RiskView Residential is being enhanced to solve your planning data problems

RiskView Residential is an all-in-one environmental report that delivers easy-to-interpret data. It covers the key risk areas of contaminated land, flood, ground hazards and energy and infrastructure.

From January 3rd 2020, RiskView Residential will include planning applications and planning constraints data. 

By including planning in with RiskView, Landmark has focused on efficiency by removing easily solved client queries. 

Landmark has enhanced their simple to use, dynamic online viewer. Your client can use the new date filter to evaluate what’s important to them. You might be surprised that out of hundreds of planning applications, your client is only interested in a few. Now they can save time and quickly focus on what matters most.

Within the report, the number of pages in RiskView has been kept to a minimum – placing the large, home-buyer centric data in the online viewer. This ensures you don’t have to review or print dozens of pages unnecessarily.

Information in a click

The RiskView online viewer has also been enhanced to include (where possible) a clickable weblink for recent planning applications. 

Together, RiskView’s new features reduce the time it takes to evaluate planning data and the number of enquiries by removing the complexity and volume of the data presented.

Planning constraints data is also included, providing invaluable insight for your home-buyer client to determine if nearby constraints are likely to have an impact on future plans or marketability. Using the online viewer, home buyers can see if planning has been refused in the area. They can also see if any recent applications could (in their opinion) have an impact on the location.

By arming homeowners with this data, you are helping them choose their future home, with real, factual information.

Together, RiskView’s timesaving features add value to your service. You are also reducing the time spent dealing with planning related enquiries. 

Providing complete environmental due diligence with professional opinion in one report, RiskView is the market leading choice in client care.

RiskView with planning includes:

•Planning applications as standard

•Planning application summary on one page in the report

•Online viewer designed to reduce time spent on planning queries

•Unique dynamic date filter

•Planning application clickable links

•Planning constraints

To find out more about how RiskView Residential can save you time, please contact our Client Services Team on 0800 840 5571 or helpdesk@tmgroup.co.uk

Landmark’s RiskView Residential Report with Planning – Coming Jan 2020

Landmark’s RiskView Residential Report will include planning applications and planning constraints data. By including planning in with RiskView, Landmark is looking to drive efficiency by addressing easily solved client queries that arise around planning. 

Their online viewer will have a new date filter, include a weblink for recent planning applications, and continue to highlight the homebuyer-centric data that matters, reducing the time needed to evaluate a now more streamlined data set

Providing environmental due diligence with professional opinion in one report, RiskView comprises:

• Planning applications as standard
• Planning application summary on one page in the report
• Online viewer designed to reduce time spent on planning queries
• Unique dynamic date filter
• Planning application clickable links
• Planning constraints

Groundsure’s Mine Entry Report (MER) – Now free!

In September Groundsure launched its follow-up report to the Groundsure CON29M Official Coal Mining Search:  where mine entries (shafts and adits) are identified within 20m of a property, the CON29M recommends that they are investigated further through this interpretative report.

As of now, the follow-up can be ordered from tmconvey at no additional cost.

It may be free but it’s still invaluable. The MER provides an assessment of the ground movement risk associated with mine entries, provided by an experienced and qualified consultant from Mining Searches UK using a variety of data sources. 

It includes:

• A clear statement of risk associated with mine entries within 20m of the property 
• Further details provided on each mine entry
• The calculated impacted area - the zone of influence - for each mine entry 
• Where appropriate, connecting underground roadways are included
• An OS MasterMap site plan displaying the zone of influence of each mine entry 
• Guidance on next steps in the event of subsidence damage 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with your Account Manager or our friendly Helpdesk team on 0800 840 5571 or helpdesk@tmgroup.co.uk

A very recent addition to tmconvey but worth an early reminder. You can now print out a list of the search alerts for a case – previously lists were just displayed but your feedback has told us that this often resulted in users having to take screen shots if they wanted to pass the information on to a solicitor. So much quicker and easier now!

Setting a default plan is one of those tiny bits of functionality that deal with the big annoyance of being asked repeatedly about something!  

If both plans are left as ‘Set as default’ when ordering searches you will always be asked to select which plan, which we appreciate can become frustrating. But if you mark one as Default, then it will be associated automatically. No more asking.

Even better, if you already have searches in draft you will get the option below for even greater convenience.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games development in Birmingham will be funded by a budget of £778 million and is intended to deliver benefits to the area for years to come.

The build is noteworthy for several reasons, not least because of the tight turnaround time and the ambitious scale of the project. Innovation has been key in the planning stage, with Birmingham City Council taking on the project themselves rather than engaging a developer. 

By taking lessons from the developments of other similar events, the local authority has based its plans on proven successful strategies. The key goal is to create not just a world class stadium and village, but to stimulate long-term growth in the area that will transform it permanently.

Regeneration of Perry Barr is being kick-started by a development of more than 1,100 new homes on the former Birmingham City University (BCU) campus.  These homes will form the residential element of the Athletes’ Village before being retrofitted for residential use.  A mix of tenures and property types will be provided in the legacy scheme, including an ‘extra care’ development for older people with varying needs. 

Fast implementation of the plan

Birmingham was awarded the Games in December 2017, meaning they had just four years, as opposed to the usual seven years, to plan, build and host the games. With no room for slippage, it was vital that each stage of the development run smoothly.  The development embodies good practice – from site assembly, through planning, communication with stakeholders, and the legacy benefits it will bring. 

The development is situated within Perry Barr, which is identified as an area for growth in Birmingham’s Development Plan, on a site already identified for residential development following the relocation of the BCU.  Key principles, or ‘big moves’ were identified early and have guided the design of the scheme.  It is approximately one mile from the Alexander Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies and athletics competition during the Games, and on a main arterial route, making it an ideal location to provide the Athletes’ Village.

To deliver to tight deadlines required significant resource, effort and collaboration, with major hurdles such as planning permission, demolition and remediation, appointment of a contractor, and start on site all smoothly navigated.  Just twelve months on from being named Host City, the residential scheme was granted planning consent.  A second phase of residential development, some 500 homes which will be delivered after the Games, was granted outline consent in August 2019.  At the same time, demolition of former university buildings was underway, and completed in early summer 2019.  Land acquisitions saw the Council working in partnership with Homes England and Department for Education, in both cases agreeing land swaps that facilitated the needs of the agencies.  

Development by the Local Authority

Birmingham City Council is acting as developer, reducing time spent in procuring a development partner, and has appointed a lead contractor through a public sector procurement framework.  The ability to commission a range of specialists through frameworks has minimised time spent on procurement across the project.

Engagement with the local community and other stakeholders early in the process has minimised challenges along the way.  It has also helped position the scheme as part of a bigger opportunity for the longer-term transformation of Perry Barr.

Considering the future

The eleven days of competition during the Games will be exciting, but it is the opportunity this offers as a catalyst for wider growth – and in attracting funding – that is particularly important.  Birmingham City Council has obviously done its homework on past events prior to making any concrete decisions.  Having liaised with decision makers for Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002, London Olympic Games 2012 and even the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018, the Council was well placed to ensure they took away the key success from each event and applied them to the local circumstances.

It is this legacy vision – which includes the redevelopment of the local station and bus interchange, Sprint bus rapid transit, significant reconfiguration of the highway network, cycle and walking enhancements, and further new residential and commercial development – which Government bought into in awarding £165m of grant funding for the regeneration of Perry Barr.

These wider sustainable transport and placemaking interventions, which also include significant land acquisitions to directly enable post-Games development, are vital in creating the market conditions for a successful scheme.  The creation of a distinctive and attractive urban destination will improve the viability of future housing schemes, unlocking a range of other sites in the immediate vicinity.  It is envisaged that the Council’s interventions will directly enable some 2,200 new homes in the area (including the 1,100 referred above) and help unlock a further 2,900 over the next 20 years.

Whilst Birmingham City Council and the Commonwealth Games may carry more influence than smaller projects, it is clear that all key stakeholders working effectively together has resulted in the efficient creation of the development. This is something that other developers could adopt, to achieve similarly impressive results.