Conveyancers warned about property deeds failures
Land Registry says solictors who fail to check deeds properly could face investigation and possible disciplinary action.
Conveyancers are being warned to ensure they check property deeds properly or face disciplinary action.
The Land Registry says repeated failures by solicitors to look at deeds thoroughly or by losing them, could lead to a referral for investigation.
Fraud investigation
Serene Rollins, Assistant Registrar at Land Registry, said a conveyancer could be referred to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.
And in some cases, Land Registry was forced to look closely at cases because there was a suspicion of fraud or dishonesty, the Law Society Gazette reports.
“Referring to regulators is about addressing those concerns that could compromise data integrity or public confidence in the profession. It is not about honest mistakes or avoidable requisitions,” Rollins said.
New requirement
The pressure on conveyancers was also ramped up by a new requirement this month for them to register with HMRC as tax advisers.
Any solicitor who completes Stamp Duty tax returns on behalf of clients now has to register. Failure to do so can result in fines up to £10,000.
Upfront info
Earlier this year, The Neg reported that conveyancers wanted more cash if they were to play a role in providing upfront material information to homebuyers.
That was the clear message from trade body The Conveyancing Association (CA), which warned that its members would have to charge higher fees if they were expected to do more work.
The association was responding to Government consultations on the home buying and selling process, and said it supported “clearer and earlier provision of property information”.
