Keeping members at the heart of conveyancing reform

There are times when it feels as though change within, and around, the conveyancing sector is moving at a faster pace than ever before, and our Board and All Member Meetings at Surveyors House earlier this month certainly reinforced that feeling.

Firstly, thank you to everyone who braved the heat to join us in London. The discussions throughout the day demonstrated exactly why these meetings remain such an important part of CA membership. They give us the opportunity to hear directly from those shaping policy, to challenge thinking, to share practical experiences and, most importantly, to ensure the views of our members continue to influence the future direction of issues impacting the profession.

It was also one of those occasions which demonstrated just how much can be packed into a single day. We began with a full Board meeting in the morning, followed by our All Member Meeting during the afternoon, before our early evening networking drinks reception.

Hearing directly from Government

One of the highlights of the afternoon was welcoming Tom Treadwell from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), who provided members with an update on the Government’s recently-published Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap.

I believe the ability to bring senior policymakers into our meetings is one of the real strengths of the Association. It allows members to hear first-hand about the thinking behind proposed reforms while also giving Government the opportunity to hear directly from practitioners who will ultimately be responsible for making those reforms work in practice.

Tom’s session prompted plenty of discussion around the roadmap, including sales packs, digital property logbooks, binding conditional contracts and the wider programme of digital reform that is expected to reshape the home buying and selling process over the coming years.

Equally encouraging was the feedback we received from Tom. He was extremely positive about the quality of the discussion and the constructive ideas that the CA and our member firms continue to put forward as Government develops its plans. That ongoing dialogue is incredibly valuable because it means our members are not simply reacting to change, they are helping to shape it.

Movement across multiple areas

The afternoon reinforced just how many significant projects are progressing simultaneously across the conveyancing sector.

Alongside Tom’s presentation, members heard from Beth on the wide range of policy, regulatory and industry initiatives the Association continues to lead and influence, while Mark Edwards from HM Land Registry shared the latest developments around the Contractual Controls programme and the continued move towards more accessible, trusted and digital property information.

We also finished the day with an excellent panel discussion exploring sustainable business growth, where members heard different perspectives on managing expansion, acquisitions, culture and risk.

Taken together, these sessions highlighted something that is becoming increasingly clear. The amount of work taking place across Government, regulators, HM Land Registry and the wider industry is substantial, with many different initiatives progressing at the same time. Keeping on top of those developments is becoming a significant task in itself.

One of the greatest benefits of CA membership is that firms do not have to tackle that challenge alone. We continue to engage with Government departments, regulators, industry groups and key stakeholders on behalf of members, while also relying on member feedback to help shape our responses and ensure the profession’s voice is heard where it matters most.

Looking ahead

Although July’s meeting has only just taken place, planning is already well underway for next year’s Annual Conference, and we look forward to sharing more details on that in the coming months.

Before then, however, we have another excellent opportunity to come together. Our next All Member Meeting and Networking Dinner will take place on 8^th October at Liverpool’s iconic Royal Liver Building. Alongside another programme of expert speakers and industry discussion, the day will conclude with our charity dinner in support of Parkinson’s UK, giving members the chance to continue conversations in a more informal setting while supporting an important cause.

If you haven’t already registered, I would encourage you to do so. Full details are available here, and I hope to see many of you there.

In the meantime, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to another excellent set of meetings and discussions in London this month, whether as a speaker, panellist or delegate. I hope you all manage to enjoy a well-earned and restful summer, and I look forward to catching up with many of you again in Liverpool this October.

Nicky Heathcote is Non-Executive Chair at The Conveyancing Association