Information is power! That was the message to attendees at the Thames Water Property Searches latest residential conveyancing CPD event, which took place at the Saw Swee Hock Centre, London School of Economics, on 14 September.
The first talk of the day focused on the importance of purchasing reports that only use data from authoritative sources as the best way to protect clients.
Land Data CEO, Jan Boothroyd, began the talk by acknowledging that – under current challenging market conditions – conveyancers are under increasing pressure to cut costs to please clients. However, she warned that purchasing cheaper products from alternative providers could turn out to be a false economy and a real risk, citing statistics that show a 20% rise in complaints to the Legal Ombudsman that relate to residential conveyancing.
Jan Boothroyd advised the audience that the only way to make sure clients are properly protected is to purchase reports from authoritative data providers, such as Thames Water Property Searches, as the data has an audit trail and is interpreted by trained staff.
In the afternoon, Paul Addison from DevAssist delivered a hugely engaging presentation on why conveyancers should be ordering planning reports as standard in residential property purchase cases.
Paul Addison used various case studies to illustrate his point, from examples of ordinary property buyers caught out by unwanted developments on their doorsteps, to high profile cases such as Bird & Bird vs Orientfield Holdings.
Paul Addison quoted leading planning barrister Martin Edwards as saying: “Information is power. So, why would any conveyancing solicitor not offer their client the opportunity to learn about what the future may hold in terms of development or opportunity?”
The conveyancers in attendance also heard that DevAssist’s reports – available through Thames Water Property Searches – not only highlight development-related risks to property buyers, but also help unlock potential value.
Lots of topics covered. Lots of positive feedback.
Talks were also given by industry experts Simon Boyle from Argyll and Landmark, Paul Saunders from Legal Eye, as well as Thames Water Property Searches own Account Manager, Jason Harper.
A huge variety of topics were covered during the day’s jam-packed programme such as: changes to the CON29; general data protection regulations; environmental issues and property values; legal aspects of drainage and water; as well as updates on the Local Land Charges Register.
“A lot was learnt from a practical point of view,” said one attendee. “We are now more aware of planning risks for our clients,” said another.
Staying up-to-date with your continuing development is easy with Thames Water Property Searches.
Take a look at our upcoming schedule of CPD events to see what we’ve got to offer your business: https://www.thameswater-propertysearches.co.uk/LatestNews/1698
To reserve your place – or to chat with a member of our Customer Experience team, please call 0845 070 9148 or email twps.events@thameswater.co.uk
