Legal News

Conveyancer Association (CA) is going to launch dedicated Pledges for consumers which would have a set of customer service commitments going above and beyond existing regulations and accreditation scheme, which all CA members have agreed to uphold.

The pledges by CA are aimed to ensure that its members provide their customers with transparent, efficient and professional services.
The commitment made by all CA members to uphold them marks a significant milestone in the history of the housing market. It is the first time licensed conveyancers as well as conveyancing solicitors have joined together to create and uphold a formal industry-led commitment to improving the house-buying process.
Eddie Goldsmith, CA chairman, said the Pledges go above and beyond the requirements of its members’ regulators and industry accreditation schemes such as the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).
Another important factor was bringing those licensed conveyancers into the fold who were not able to use CQS into the fold, thereby bringing the whole industry of specialist conveyancers together in a groundbreaking initiative.
The CA adds a culture of fairness that sets the tone for the service that its members provide whether dealing with a large mortgage lender, a family buying their first flat together, or a conveyancer elsewhere on the chain.
Mr Goldsmith added that there was a considerable consumer frustration during the house buying process often arising due to lack of communication from conveyancers. Consumers often feel uninformed and, due to legal jargon, unclear on the legal process. These Pledges would ensure conveyancers communicate regularly and clearly with their clients.
Simultaneously the Pledge would assure lenders that transactions were promptly registered at the Land Registry with a good and marketable title, and that members would take pro-active steps to protect mortgage funds and combat mortgage and property fraud.
The launch of the conveyancing Pledges comes as a survey by One Poll, commissioned by the CA. the study found that 90 per cent of respondents said they were frustrated with the house-buying process, citing issues of excess bureaucracy, lack of information, delays and costs as their biggest bugbears.
Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of house-buyers experienced problems such as delays during their transaction. Of these, conveyancers were blamed for 47 per cent of problems, with estate agents responsible for 18 per cent, and mortgage lenders for 16 per cent.