New rules for conveyancers are now in place in Britain aimed at helping home buyers make a more informed choice when buying a property.
All property lawyers must now publish price, service and quality information on their websites, or in alternative formats if requested, as part of a cross-industry push to empower consumers and foster innovation and competition across the legal services market.
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) said that all property lawyers will now have to display certain information including costs and provide examples of their fees that cover a broad range of services and transaction types.
This might include information on conveyancing timescales and links to third party feedback platforms and a buyer should be able to easily identify who regulates the firm. For lawyers regulated by the CLC, this includes displaying the CLC secure badge in a prominent place.
All lawyers need to display details of their complaints process including access to the Legal Ombudsman and redress information and while lawyers do not need to disclose specific details of referral arrangements on their website, they must say if they enter into such agreements and the average fee, or range of fees, they pay.
‘The process of buying a home can be exciting and stressful in equal measure. The legal market is changing so consumers have the information they need to find the best advisers for them,’ said Stephen Ward, CLC director of strategy and external relations.
‘We at the CLC are determined to lead the drive for transparency and to improve the home buying and selling process overall. Consumers should feel confidence in shopping around to find the conveyancer who will best suit their needs,’ he added.
