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News

Have your say on digitisation of the property market

13 March, 2024

To help us understand how we can improve the uptake of digital processes and ensure that we get the benefit of upfront information, the Digital Property Market Steering Group needs your views on the creation of a Digital Property Information Protocol. Respond to the short survey now    The Protocol, which you can see in [Read more]

HM Land Registry Consultation on Fees and Data Use

13 March, 2024

The CLC urges conveyancers and anyone else using HM Land Registry to respond to this new consultation on the organisation’s future fees and charging structure. You can find more information on gov.uk and responses can be submitted here. The consultation seeks views on supporting the land and property information agenda and encouraging innovation through better [Read more]

VAT Handling of Disbursements for Search Fees

12 March, 2024

Do you charge VAT on disbursements for search fees, for example when invoicing clients for the cost of Land Registry or local authority searches that you have undertaken in relation to their matters?   We know that historically, many firms did not charge VAT in respect of payments made for electronic property searches, Land Registry searches [Read more]

Call for Evidence on Supervision of Notaries

10 March, 2024

The Faculty Office, which regulates notaries, has published a paper: Find out more and share your views

Housing Minister urges “greater pace” of innovation to transform home buying and selling

5 February, 2024

Housing Minister urges “greater pace” of innovation to transform home buying and selling Conveyancers have “a central role” in realising a digital home buying and selling process but innovation needs to happen at a greater pace, the Housing Minister told last week’s Council for Licensed Conveyancers’ (CLC) annual conference. Baroness Penn said that “placing digitalisation [Read more]

Annual Report on 2023

2 February, 2024

The CLC has published its Annual Report on 2023, which demonstrates that the CLC’s approach to regulation: Find out more

Conference: The future of specialist conveyancing and probate

11 January, 2024

Join us in person on the morning of 1st February from 0930-1230 in Central London for insight and information from the CLC and a group of industry experts. We will hear from Baroness Penn, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the government’s priorities for transforming home buying [Read more]

Cyber disruption to legal services – keeping all parties informed

27 November, 2023

The conveyancing sector is currently experiencing some disruption to transactions arising from a cyber incident affecting a supplier to legal services providers. As well as keeping their own clients informed of any disruption to their matter in relation to such incidents, we expect any directly affected CLC-regulated practices to ensure that they have alerted lawyers [Read more]

Cyber incident affecting property transactions

24 November, 2023

We have been made aware that a cyber incident is affecting some conveyancing firms today and preventing some transactions from completing. The exact details are, as yet, unknown, but we advise all firms to check carefully if they have any reason to believe that client data has been compromised. For consumers expecting to complete a [Read more]

ReviewSolicitors

10 November, 2023

ReviewSolicitors is an established comparison website in the legal sector. Along with others, it has access to the data about CLC-regulated entities, published by the CLC for use by comparison websites. That is basic data about practices’ locations and contact details. A number of CLC-regulated practices have contacted the CLC following approaches from ReviewSolicitors. Those [Read more]

Simply Conveyancing Property Lawyers (East) Limited

6 November, 2023

Simply Conveyancing Property Lawyers (East) Limited (SCPLE) was acquired by Simply Conveyancing in late 2021. SCPLE will cease trading on 30 November 2023. Clients with transactions due in the days prior to the closure (including Friday 24th November) will not be impacted, and the completions will be undertaken by SCPLE as expected. All clients with [Read more]

New Consultation: Code of Conduct

26 October, 2023

The CLC has launched a consultation on a proposed new Code of Conduct following last year’s consultation Ethical Principles. Read the consultation document and respond.

Intervention: Alexander Grace Law Limited

17 October, 2023

In June, the CLC required Alexander Grace Law Limited to enter a managed closure process. Urgent conveyancing matters were handed over to Stephensons Solicitors. For the less urgent matters, clients were offered the choice of instructing another practice or firm to take over their transaction. Most clients chose to have their work conducted by Amity [Read more]

Survey: Grant of probate delays extend to 19 weeks

4 October, 2023

In a recent survey undertaken by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) 70% of probate practitioners reported waiting in excess of 10 weeks for probate to be granted, with 57% of those saying it was taking longer than 19 weeks. As recently as May, data released by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) revealed the [Read more]

Help with compliance: Roadshows November 2023

27 September, 2023

Join the CLC’s Regulatory Supervision Managers at four cities around the UK this November for an update on compliance issues. The team will be looking at some key issues for CLC lawyers, including anti-money laundering, the CLC’s monitoring programme, the CLC’s 2023 Risk Agenda, complaints handling, the evolution of conveyancing and probate and taking your [Read more]

Review of PII Renewal 2023

9 August, 2023

As the specialist property and probate regulator, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), has always monitored and engaged with the PII market closely to understand how it well it delivers effective consumer protection and supports a thriving legal sector. The CLC is in close contact with the insurance brokers that are signed up to the CLC’s [Read more]

Setting Regulatory fees for 2023-24

4 August, 2023

The CLC is consulting its regulated community as it proposes changes to its current practice fee rates.  The CLC is proposing to increase practice fee rates by up to 10%, while individual practicing fees will remain unchanged. The last amendment was in 2021 when the fee bandings were improved to better reflect practice turnovers and reduced [Read more]

Risk Agenda 2023

24 July, 2023

The CLC’s annual Risk Agenda brings together a list of the biggest risks faced by the CLC’s regulated community, which emerge during its regular monitoring and inspection work throughout the year, along with advice to help practices stay on the right side of compliance. Areas covered in the Risk Agenda 2023 include anti-money laundering, conflicts [Read more]

Closure of Alexander Grace Law

28 June, 2023

Alexander Grace Law (AGL) is undergoing a managed closure and will formally close at the end of this week. Clients with transactions due to complete this week (including Friday 30 June 2023) will be undertaken by AGL and do not need to do anything further.   Clients with transactions due to complete in the week [Read more]

Capital Gains Tax – Update

7 June, 2023

We have been asked by HMRC to assist in raising awareness to Licensed Conveyancers specialising in Conveyancing and probate of some new materials which are available on the following links. If you dispose of UK residential property which is not your primary residence, you may have a capital gains tax liability.  See the links below for further information and how [Read more]

Cyber Advisor Scheme

7 June, 2023

Some of you may already be aware that the Government has launched a cyber advisor scheme in collaboration with the IASME consortium.  It is aimed at SMEs.The links to follow if you would like to know more are: NSCS link: Introducing Cyber Advisors… – NCSC.GOV.UK IASME link / FAQs: Cyber Advisor Scheme – Iasme

ProConveyancing UK Limited

7 June, 2023

Intervention into ProConveyancing UK Limited – 7 June 2023 In order to protect the interests of the clients, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has intervened into: ProConveyancing UK Limited, trading from: Suite G5, Ground FloorGateway HouseNew Chester RoadBromboroughCH62 3NX Frequently asked questions Q. Where is the file for my matter? A. Your files are currently [Read more]

Guidance on submitting better quality Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)

5 June, 2023

Developed with the National Crime Agency’s UK Financial Intelligence Unit see this advice on how to submit better quality SARs

Compliance Roadshows Spring 2023

25 April, 2023

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the CLC have had to postpone the Roadshows scheduled to take place this month.We envisage that they will now take place late summer or early autumn and will publicise details for the events in due course.We apologise for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you later in the year.

Transfer of Funds from China

8 March, 2023

Together with the other legal sector regulators we have today published new guidance on Chinese funds and underground banking. Find out more

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