Campaigns

DCLG – CA Call for Evidence Response:

The Conveyancing Association issued its formal response to the DCLG’s ‘Call for Evidence’ on ‘Improving the home buying and selling process’ The CA’s response contains many of the ideas and ongoing work streams from our own 10-point Strategic Plan, outlined in our White Paper, aimed at delivering tangible improvements to the home buying process. The White Paper was published at the start of the end of 2016 and our response to the Governments Call for Evidence details findings and evidence from ongoing pilots taking place through our Membership, home mover surveys and roundtable discussions designed to establish the impact and delivery of these proposals.

Modernising Conveyancing – White Paper:

The Conveyancing Association White Paper on modernising conveyancing was released in November 2016 and has been brought about as a result of the Government’s call for evidence on modernising the home moving process. Our objective at the CA is to develop best conveyancing practice and our White Paper outlines the issues within the conveyancing process that need to be addressed in order to allow for a quicker, more consistent and a consumer focused process. The issues identified in our White Paper will form the basis of our Campaigns moving forward.

Cyberfraud Campaign & Protocol:

Cyber fraud is an increasing risk in the conveyancing industry and the CA will be supporting its members in tackling this ever evolving issue. The CA has brought together experts across the cyber security industry to input on a Cyberfraud and Fraud Protocol to highlight best practice which, if adopted by law firms, will reduce exposure to fraud and to provide a common sense training tool accessible to all Conveyancing staff.

Leasehold campaign:

We are campaigning to change negative leasehold management practices, to ensure a fair outcome for our clients and a quicker transaction process. Our positive and progressive leasehold campaign promotes an adequate redress scheme for clients and a faster release of leasehold information.

Lender engagement:

We are working with leading mortgage lenders to address the issues that conveyancers and our clients encounter when dealing with mortgage lenders. Our roundtable meetings engage debate between lenders and members to improve service standards and collaborative conveyancing practice.

Working with estate agents:

Our Estate Agent – Conveyancer Best Practice Guide aims to improve communication between conveyancers and estate agents. Our affiliate members are made up of large estate agency and legal panel management representatives, who helped to define this best communication and working practice guide.

The Conveyancing Protocol:

Some of the most successful conveyancing practices in the UK worked together to produce the Conveyancing Association Protocol, which outlines the best conveyancing practices and procedures, to which all of our members adhere.

The Conveyancing Association Pledges:

Our mutual commitment to excellent customer service formulated the Conveyancing Association Pledges  – the first customer service commitments in the conveyancing industry.

The Conveyancing Academy:

We established our Conveyancing Academy in 2015 to provide cost effective online training platforms for our Members to train their staff at all levels. This is the first such facility available within the conveyancing industry.

The Conveyancing Foundation:

Our collective commitment to charity fundraising led to the establishment of our Registered Charity, the Conveyancing Foundation. The Conveyancing Foundation Free Legal Fee Competition inspires our Members to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

Informing Home Movers about the Conveyancing Process:

Our BIG Question survey at the beginning of the year indicated that there was a real need to provide home movers with clear information on what happens during the sales process, how to prepare for it and how long it all takes.

The Association have responded by commissioning two animated videos describing the process, both of which can be seen here:

Pre Sales Preparation

The Conveyancing Process