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As you may already be aware, HM Land Registry launched their new digital Local Land Charges Register today – 11th July 2018 – and the first local authority’s local land charges (LLC) data to be available is Warwick District Council’s.

This is an exciting step forward for the property industry, and we’re pleased to be supporting this new service on tmconvey. 

What happens next?

Warwick District Council is one of around 350 Local Authorities who will have their Local Land Charges (LLC) data digitised across 2018 and beyond. While you’ll notice a few differences if you are ordering your LLC1 through Warwick District Council (more details below), it will be business as usual for other Local Authorities. 

We are working closely with Land Registry throughout the rollout of their new digital Local Land Charges Register – and will receive a minimum of 30 days’ notice from HM Land Registry about any Local Authorities being added to the digital Register. 

We’ll also be supporting you with regular emails and updates as the rollout progresses, and making sure you have any information you need in good time. 

What is happening with Warwick District Council?

For tmconvey customers, the process for ordering an LLC1 through tmconvey will remain exactly the same. 

You’ll notice some slight differences in the way your results are returned, but we’ll continue to work with you as these changes happen and seek to apply your feedback to further improve this service over the coming months.

> Your LLC1 result will be returned faster than normal (typically within 24 hours), as the report will be processed via the new LR digital Register. 

> The CON29 will continue to be returned as it always has been in accordance with the Local Authority turnaround time, as specified at the point of order.

> There will be some changes to the LLC1 report format, as the data will be returned from Land Registry – instead of your Local Authority.

> The LLC1 and CON29 will be billed separately and appear on separate lines of any invoices you receive. 

As the LR migrates over other Local Authorities, we will immediately support them through the tmconvey platform, providing our customers with the latest offerings in the provision of digital property related data.

How do I share my feedback about this new service?

We’ll be inviting customer feedback as we continue to provide this new service from Land Registry. If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, please email your Account Manager, or Helpdesk on helpdesk@tmgroup.co.uk 

Groundsure are pleased to announce that they have updated their Groundsure Avista report with a new Transportation section – including the proposed Crossrail2 route. 

Groundsure offer the only environmental reports in the searches market to feature this data – and this report will be available to order on tmconvey from Thursday 5th July. 

Highlights of the new Transportation section include:

• HS2 Noise and visual impact*

• Proposed Crossrail2 route, stations/headhouses, worksites, safeguarding areas*

• HS2 safeguarding, rural support and homeowner payment zones*

• Historical railways and tunnels

• London Underground and DLR* (also including Tyne and Wear Metro and Glasgow Subway)

* Groundsure offer the only environmental reports in the searches market to feature this data. Data available for Phase 1 of HS2 only.

Groundsure Avista is a a clear and comprehensive risk report 

This latest addition to Groundsure Avista builds on a number of key features, which launched as part of the clear and concise environmental report back in June 2017:

• Improved accuracy and pass rates: Avista reports are based on Land Registry polygon data as standard for the highest level of accuracy, with 106 million data points being analysed to significantly improve pass rates. 

• Clear and concise recommendations: Clearly signposted data with unambiguous recommendations leaves customers better informed, without being overwhelmed by confusing jargon. 

• The average report is less than 20 pages long: The average Avista report is less than 20 pages long, making it simple for conveyancers to hone in on what’s important. 

• Review next steps with a quick glance: The Avista Action Alert saves transaction time and trouble by providing a simple visual guide to the complexity of the environmental factors associated with a property. 

The new and updated Groundsure Avista report is available to order now on tmconvey. Click here to see a sample report.

Designed to speed up transactions, reduce fall-through rates, and help you to win more business, mio is a sales progression and communication tool created by property experts for property experts.

Here Jamie Wallace, Sales Negotiator from Allen & Harris in Stoke Gifford (Bristol) shares how mio has not only helped to save him time, but has also made a great first impression on clients and helped win new business.

Estate Agents traditionally waste a lot of time piecing information together 

Lack of visibility and poor communication creates stress and uncertainty across the length of the property chain. It also wastes a lot of time, as Estate Agents juggle phone calls, emails and multiple databases to piece together the information needed to progress the sale. 

As Jamie Wallace comments; “Before using mio, it was very time-consuming to gather the information I needed about each property chain. Particularly when I needed to find out something specific, such as whether the buyer further up the chain had ordered their searches, and would have to make phone calls, leave voicemails and wait to hear back.”

mio allows everyone connected in the chain to see the whole picture 

Powered by tmgroup, mio builds on nearly 20 years’ experience in streamlining the property transaction to address the communication challenges that typically slow down the home buying and selling process.

With tools and features designed to increase transparency of the chain, as well as branch productivity, mio offers Estate Agents a smarter way to manage the home buying process;

• Key notes and contacts digitised and stored in one place 

• Integrations to mitigate rekeying of data and help automate the chain building 

• Streamlined sales progression with data feeds from conveyancers, lenders and surveyors 

• Centralised communications 

• Certainty that your messages have been safely delivered and read

All of these features (and more!) empower branches to see the whole picture, so they can identify potential issues and delays in the chain – and help their transactions get moving.

As Jamie Wallace comments; “With mio, it is quick and easy to understand what is happening across the chain and where I need to prioritise my efforts to help my transactions get moving. It’s great. I no longer have to waste time making phone calls and sending emails for the latest updates, I can just look at my screen and the information I need is right there. It’s a really useful tool.”

Homemovers are always interested in mio and receiving updates to their smartphone

mio also improves the property transaction for buyers and sellers, providing a great talking point and a competitive edge for Estate Agents as they bid for new listings, as Jamie Wallace comments; “mio is a really good marketing tool and helps us to make a great first impression. When we’re talking to potential new clients, they are always interested in mio – especially when we tell them that they’ll be able to check updates on their smartphone as the sale progresses.”

With quick and easy access 24/7 at their fingertips, in-app messaging, as well as regular updates, tasks and reminders, homemovers benefit from a flexible, proactive approach to their move – that also reduces the number of chasing calls to their Estate Agent and Conveyancer.

Jon Horton, Product Director – mio comments:

“Slow sales progression pushed fall-through rates up to a 10-year high earlier this year, making it even more important that we took the initiative to improve the home buying process. Traditionally agents like selling but see sales progression as an administrative burden that often gets overlooked. mio removes the burden with a simple intuitive design, and helps improve communication and transparency across the property chain - it’s fantastic to see that Jamie Wallace and the Allen & Harris team are reaping the benefits as early adopters with happy customers.” 

About mio

Powered by tmgroup, mio is a sales progression and communication tool created by property experts for property experts. It speeds transactions forward, reduces fall-through rates, and helps estate agents win more business.

For more information, visit www.mio.co.uk or call us on 0800 840 5577

New Build sites can be time-consuming. This is often for reasons outside of a conveyancer’s control, particularly when it comes to the provision of information for location plans, developer and plot plans. This can also result in additional queries from suppliers, culminating in significant delays for conveyancing teams.

Designed to streamline the process, our New Build Managed Service COMING SOON is tailored to your needs to help save your teams time - and our early adopters couldn't praise it highly enough.

> Nicole Hancock, Legal Assistant, Residential Property Department, Clifton Ingram LLP:

“I used to find it really stressful to work with plans for New Build plots, but now I just send them onto tmgroup’s New Build Managed Service team and they take care of everything for me. I love it!"

> Amy Archer, Senior Paralegal at Gordons Partnership LLP:

"We especially appreciate the direct contact with the New Build Managed Service team, as we can send over our order and within 20 minutes receive confirmation that our searches have been ordered. It also helps that any queries come directly to us, so we don’t have to spend time checking up on things. Overall, it’s a very quick and smooth process.”

> Melanie Cox (Mrs)(FILS), Legal Assistant, Residential Conveyancing at Terry Jones Solicitors:

“I’ve been using the New Build Managed Service for a few months now and it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s helped to save me a lot of time, as all I need to do is fill in the template and send it off. Everything is then taken care of on my behalf – even the mapping! It’s much easier than all the to-ing and fro-ing I used to experience with New Build plots, especially as I no longer have to field queries and discuss plans over emails or phone calls – which can be challenging and time-consuming. I’ve also been very pleased with the customer service, as the New Build Managed Service team have consistently dealt with any questions or queries very efficiently.”

Let our experienced team manage New Build properties on your behalf 

Drawing on years of experience and long-standing relationships with suppliers, our experienced New Build Operations team are well-placed to process New Build searches on your behalf. All you need to do is fill in a simple template with the information you have – and we’ll take care of the rest.

Even when queries arise, our Operations team will do a thorough investigation to resolve the question. That will mean liaising with our search suppliers as well as the property developers on your behalf.

Results will then be emailed to any distribution list you require, as detailed within the search template. All of this saves your team time and energy, which may be better used elsewhere.

New Build Managed Service COMING SOON to tmconvey

For more information, please contact your Account Manager, or get in touch with Helpdesk on 0800 840 5571 or helpdesk@tmgroup.co.uk

The team from mio, offering Estate Agents a smarter way to manage the home buying process, proudly joined suppliers from across the property industry to support Agents Giving’s ‘Donate a Food Parcel Day’ on 21st June 2018 – and marked the first of many good deeds for charity. 

Coinciding with Relocation Agent’s ‘One Thousand Items of Food’ campaign, people from across the property industry were invited to prepare food parcels for The Trussell Trust foodbanks – and help to support those living in crisis across the UK. 

Supported by their colleagues across tmgroup, the mio team embraced the opportunity and collected a total of 163 items, including cereals, tins of soup, tea bags, biscuits and dried pasta, for their nearest foodbank in Cirencester.

Jon Horton, Product Director – mio comments:

“As a new supplier to Estate Agents, the mio team were excited to get involved in this annual charity event. I’m pleased to say everyone put their best foot forward to collect food to help support the good work that The Trussell Trust do to help people in need.”

Since entering the market with a successful pilot programme back in 2017, mio has been helping to increase transparency and efficiency across the home buying and selling process with their new collaborative sales progression and communication platform. With time-saving features, including centralised communication and secure in-app messaging, mio offers Estate Agents a smarter way to manage the home buying process.

About mio

mio is a chain building and sales progression tool created by property experts for property experts. It speeds transactions forward, reduces fall-through rates, and helps estate agents win more business.

For more information, visit www.mio.co.uk 

We recently attended ‘The Future of Real Estate Summit’ in Liverpool. Hosted by Estates Gazette, the broad agenda discussed everything from affordable housing and the impact of HS2, to the positive returns of investing in culture and digitisation.

It quickly became clear that cities have a vital role to play in addressing the housing crisis and attracting investment for New Build developments. Here are just some of the talking points from the day’s events…

The housing crisis cannot be solved simply by building more houses 

The fact that the housing crisis cannot be solved in isolation was a key topic of discussion. With a general consensus that addressing this issue isn’t just about building more houses, it’s about creating spaces where businesses and housing projects can coexist and thrive.  

To succeed in attracting businesses, retaining talent and attracting investment for housing and commercial projects, there are a number of factors cities need to get right – from investing in digital infrastructure (such as fibre and broadband) to creating a strong cultural identity and “sense of place”. 

There also needs to be a focus on supporting transport links across the city, through the provision of buses and efficient road networks – so people can travel to local jobs just as easily as they can travel outside the city on motorways and trains. 

By embracing these opportunities, cities can not only offer more housing, they can make sure that homes and businesses are filled with people who can contribute to the growth and success of the area. In turn, this will attract more businesses, more people, and even more investors willing and able to invest in commercial and residential property. 

Where cities are getting this right, everyone stands to benefit – from estate agents having more properties to work with, to conveyancers winning more new business. The key is for everyone to communicate with one another regularly, so that all businesses can be primed to take advantage of new opportunities as they come into the city. 

Liverpool offer a fantastic example of this – especially the way they’ve been “riding the wave” of winning European Capital of Culture in 2008 to drive growth and investment over the last decade. 

The UK continues to attract foreign investors – but cities must play their part in ensuring they offer a recognisable and attractive offering

The impact of Brexit couldn’t be overlooked, and there was a sense of optimism in the room as Susan Caldwell from the Department for Trade & Investment said: “The UK continues to attract foreign investors who see the UK as a stable, regulated environment with a strong legal system. This is supported by the fact that it takes on average of just 13 days to set up a business in the UK.”

For individual cities to benefit however, County Councils must present themselves in a way that the investment community recognises. This requires a focused approach of identifying 2 to 3 areas where the city could attract investment – and then promoting these opportunities as early as possible. For example, by including the proposition in brochures for overseas investors. 

Showing a willingness to not only find the right investor, but to be flexible in working together can also help to move projects forward in a way that benefits everyone. It is equally important that these conversations extend to the conveyancers and estate agents involved, so they are primed to manage the influx in work – and the local community can make use of any new space as quickly as possible. 

We must rethink how we use failing retail space to help address the housing shortage

Land use is an ongoing challenge across the UK, with careful thought and planning needed to strike a positive balance of commercial and residential space. However, the shift towards online shopping has resulted in the UK simply having too much retail space.  

With the country crying out for more housing, we can’t afford to leave this space empty – and mixed-use space is set to become the norm as investors look to make the most return on their property by supplying housing and offices, alongside the preservation of some retail space. 

Diversity is key to developing cities that support different lifestyles and generations 

Diversification isn’t just about creating different types of homes, it’s also about thinking about how spaces work to support different lifestyles and generations within the same city. For example, making sure there are residential properties situated near bars and restaurants, but also in quieter areas with parks and schools. 

This is where estate agents and conveyancers also have a role to play in sharing their knowledge of the local area. By identifying a strong demand for retirement properties (for example), they can help to support a strong case for an investment opportunity, whilst also addressing the real needs of people in that particular city. 

Sometimes, creating a thriving city is also about pushing back on prime investment opportunities for “yet another tower block” and thinking about what gives an area life. A key example of this is Boxpark Croydon that helped to give new life to the area by engaging the community and creating a strong sense of place. 

Entirely constructed out of refitted shipping containers, Boxpark also highlighted the potential of alternative building processes and materials – and  raised the question of exploring new building methods to meet the challenge of providing affordable housing.

The public and private sectors can work together to regenerate cities

A key point reiterated across ‘The Future of Real Estate Summit’ was the scope for collaboration, and the benefit this can bring to everyone who embraces it.

There are ample opportunities for the private and public sector to work together that private investors must take advantage of. A key example of this way HS2. Whilst it is undoubtedly an enabler of change, it is up to the local councils and businesses to collaborate to make the most of these opportunities, as Tom Venner, Head of Property Development, High Speed 2 (HS2) commented: “Developers shouldn’t be afraid to collaborate with the Government to help unlock the potential in an area, as there are huge opportunities for growth. The Government are willing and able to work with Developers to help solve housing issues – and the people, skills and money are there to unlock these opportunities."  

As the conference came to a close, it was hard to ignore the passion in the room, as well as the opportunities that await if we choose to move forward together to create places that not only exist, but thrive. 

Want to have your say?

Why not join our Property Hubs taking place this July across Northampton, Liverpool, Leeds, Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff. Or get in touch about hosting one near you! Click here for more information and to register. 

Is New Build work on the rise in your local area?

Our New Build Managed Service can help to save your team time by ordering searches and managing data provider queries on your behalf. Click here for more information.

Conveyancing teams we talk to often relay their frustrations at having to log in and out of different websites to complete various tasks as the property transaction progresses. They're acutely aware that this not only results in rekeying information and wasting valuable time, but it also creates opportunity for error.

It doesn’t have to be this way. At tmgroup, we make it quick and easy to complete conveyancing tasks all in one place by continuing to add new services to our tmconvey platform. The best part? Case information can be prepopulated across different forms; cutting the time spent rekeying, reducing the likelihood of mistakes, and making even more time for you. 

Submit SDLT & AP1 forms in the same place as you order your searches 

The launch of Post-Completion services on tmconvey marks the latest evolution of our platform, as we continue to expand our services to help customers complete more of their tasks in the same place – and save even more time.

Anna Connett, Legal Secretary at Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP comments:

“Submitting SDLT forms is much easier on tmconvey, as it pulls through information from the case, such as the property address. It’s then good that when you get to the AP1 form, and have already completed your searches and your SDLT, it copies across the agent details, property address, and copies across the SDLT5 too – so you don’t have to scan and save.”

With everyone across the firm completing their SDLT & AP1 forms within the same platform, the status of every submission and requisition can also be easily tracked; so you can say goodbye to important messages sitting in personal inboxes.

Time-saving benefits designed by conveyancers for conveyancers 

At tmgroup, we’re committed to saving time for conveyancers. We achieve this time and time again by putting our customers at the heart of our processes; from actively inviting feedback and liaising with our Development team to implement new ideas, to running customer focus groups, and involving customers in Beta testing.

With everything from searches and insurance, to AML and mapping, and even SDLT & AP1 submission taken care of, the core services you need most have been integrated into our tmconvey platform to help you get the job done quickly and easily, all in one place.

…And it does exactly that, as our customers are more than happy to testify!

• “It's great to have everything all in one place, especially the addition of AML and Lawyer Checker.” – Nicole Roberts, Paralegal at Maitland Walker LLP

• “Everything is more streamlined in the tmconvey platform. It is simple and quick, and we can now order searches in under 5 minutes.” – Molly Cook, Conveyancing Secretary at Wadsworths Solicitors.

Find out more

To find out more about how tmgroup can make even more time for you and your team, take a look at www.tmgroup.co.uk/ 

Land Registry have made us aware that they are temporarily suspending their online services for the weekend of 16th and 17th June 2018. (You may also have received a notification email direct from Land Registry.) 

This is to complete some essential maintenance work – and will result in some minor delays to any AP1 submissions made on 16th or 17th June 2018. 

While you will be able to process and submit your AP1s on tmconvey as normal throughout this weekend, please be aware that we won’t be able to submit these onto Land Registry until their online service is resumed on Monday 18th June 2018. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

As anyone involved in the home buying and selling process knows, a lot can go wrong as the chain progresses towards completion – and the picture only gets worse, the longer the chain gets. 

When some chains inevitably do collapse, visibility and lack of communication are often blamed. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The majority of movers enter the home buying and selling process with high expectations of a quick turnaround – often with the hope of getting into their new home before Christmas, or before the new term starts at school. 

Whatever the reason, there normally is one, and homemovers can quickly get “cold feet” when things don’t look like they are progressing. Or suddenly find out they are part of a chain of eight, instead of a chain of three. Even not hearing from their solicitor or estate agent for several days can be enough to push a homemover “over the edge”. 

As if that wasn’t enough to contend with, most buyers typically register with several agents, so even once a sale is agreed, they are still being enticed by other agents with new listings. The longer the transaction takes, the more risk there is of the buyer finding another “dream home” and jeopardising their original decision.

But what if homemovers could see what was happening across the chain? Knew what was supposed to be happening next? Or could see the latest progress without having to pester their estate agent? What if transactions were completed faster, so there was simply less opportunity for people to change their minds? 

How different could everything be?

By harnessing the power of technology to improve visibility and communication across the length of the property chain, homemovers could be empowered with a better understanding of the process – significantly reducing the risk of them “getting cold feet” and triggering the collapse of the chain. 

Prop tech company tmgroup are already working on making this a reality with mio - a new sales progression and communication tool that helps Estate Agents speed transactions forward, reduce fall-through rates, and help win more business.

Created by property experts for property experts, mio brings convenience to the buying and selling process, including chat messaging and milestone reminders that result in fewer calls for all parties involved – without compromising on information. 

With improved visibility, alongside free educational content about the home buying and selling process, mio can also help to better manage homemovers’ expectations – and reduce confusion and create clarity about roles and responsibilities in completing the transaction.

Jon Horton, Product Director - mio comments:

“Our consumer research reported that 49% of homebuyers would like to receive a daily update on their transaction. Communication and transparency are key, and complaints around this area are the most common type escalated to The Property Ombudsman. 

We recognise that there will always be uncontrollable variables in a property chain, such as a buyer withdrawing from a transaction because their situation changes and they are no longer able to raise the finance. Yet the majority of homemovers connected in the property chain are willing and financially able to move. 

By harnessing the power of PropTech, estate agents and conveyancers can increase visibility across the property chain and proactively manage the more controllable risks associated with the home buying and selling process – and significantly reduce the chance of people pulling out and collapsing the chain.”

For more information about mio, visit www.mio.co.uk 

The first round of Property Hubs took place in Liverpool, Leeds and Nottingham across May 2018, bringing property professionals together to discuss hot topics – including the impact of ‘The Bank of Mum and Dad’.  

Conveyancers are seeing gifted deposits “more often than not” 

Conversations kicked off at 8am sharp, with attendees in all locations jumping straight into heated debates about how ‘The Bank of Mum and Dad’ is skewing the property market in favour of more privileged First-Time Buyers. 

While not a new concept, it has become an increasingly common way for First-Time Buyers to get onto the property ladder, as one conveyancer working in Nottingham claimed: “We see gifted deposits more often than not when managing transactions for First-Time Buyers”. 

From re-mortgaging the family home, to taking a lump sum out of their pension, parents are rising to the challenge of finding funds to support their children onto the property ladder. Even grandparents are getting involved. Property professionals across the country have also noticed financial providers “jumping on the bandwagon”, by developing new products to help make equity release options quick and simple. 

Yet it quickly became apparent that the situation isn’t fool-proof, as attendees swapped cautionary tales about parents gifting deposits to young couples – only to lose their investment a few years down the line if the couple separates. 

Parents are trying to help their children beat the rise in property prices

Yet for many it is worth the risk. Whilst avoiding inheritance tax is certainly a motivation for some parents, the continuing rise in house prices is also prompting many to help their children out sooner rather than later. This is especially true in areas such as Nottingham, where improved transport links are expected to drive house prices up by around 7% per year.

‘Buy to Let’ investors are also compounding the issue, by directly competing with First-Time Buyers for the more affordable flats and 2-bedroom “starter” homes in the area.

This problem isn’t going away any time soon

With property prices in many areas of the country expected to rise over the coming years, along with pressure on the private rental market, it seems unlikely that ‘Buy to Let’ investment opportunities will lose their appeal any time soon. 

Even a sharp increase in affordable New Builds properties is unlikely to alleviate the pressure, as the next generation of First-Time Buyers come of age with ‘The Bank of Mum and Dad’ in tow. 

And what about those without generous, well-off parents? The latest headlines predict it could take them up to 22 years to save enough for a deposit… 

Want to join the conversation? 

Our Property Hubs are returning to Leeds and Liverpool this July. They will also be making their debut in Northampton, Cardiff, Southampton and Bristol. 

• Liverpool – Tuesday 10th July

7:30am until 9:30am @ Radisson Blu Hotel 

Click here for more information

• Cardiff – Tuesday 10th July 

3:00pm until 5:00pm @ Radisson Blu Hotel 

Click here for more information

• Leeds – Wednesday 11th July

 7:30am until 9:30am @ Radisson Blu Hotel

Click here for more information

• Bristol – Wednesday 11th July

3:00pm until 5:00pm @ Radisson Blu Hotel

Click here for more information

• Northampton – Thursday 12th July 

7:30am until 9:30am @ Marriott 

Click here for more information

• Southampton – Thursday 12th July

3:00pm until 5:00pm @ Grand Harbour Hotel

Click here for more information