Dumped by the Abbey – an update

Posted by Justin on Mar 28, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, banks, conveyancing, lawyers, small towns | 0 comments Following representations made by the Law Society to the Abbey, it appears that the preremptory letter issued to 6,000+ firms last wek is part of an exercise to invite firms to apply to joing a combined panel for the Abbey and Alliance + Leicester. If this is true, the original letter was extraordinarily cack-handed, as it gave no hint of this. It may be that the Abbey is finding a way to climb...
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Dumped by the Abbey – yet more

Posted by Justin on Mar 27, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, banks, conveyancing, lawyers, local, small towns | 0 comments The Abbey’s draconian step of removing some 6,000 solicitors from its conveyancing panel for mortgage work – without warning or any specified reason except low volume of transactions – is getting some media publicity
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Proof of identity

Posted by Justin on Mar 27, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, ID cards, lawyers, legal system | 0 comments When acting for clients on transactions (eg: house purchases or sales), solicitors are obliged to check their clients’ identities. It is not an integral part of the legal work we set out to do, but an obligation imposed on us under anti-money laundering legislation. It is an extra cost that we must absorb, and an extra risk we must accept, but we are not given any option. Failing to comply...
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Libraries – it’s about the books

Posted by Justin on Mar 26, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, Uncategorized | 0 comments Why are councils closing libraries or ignoring the books?Let's start with suggesting some principles – challenge them, if you want1 Reading is a Good Thing and therefore to be encouraged2 Reading books (as well as other things, such as newspapers, blogs, instructions from above and ASBOs) is a Good Thing and therefore to be encouraged3 Reading books is, perhaps, an area where quantity...
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Dumped by the Abbey – further thoughts

Posted by Justin on Mar 25, 2009 in Abaddons Musings, conveyancing, lawyers, local, small towns | 0 comments I have today heard from another (fairly local) solicitor who has been dumped by the Abbey from its conveyancing panelThis is particularly harsh for him and his clients, as he has 4 cases going through at present, and suddenly the Abbey is disrupting everything and causing chaos and extra expense. This does not surprise me – the Abbey just does not seem to care – but it has firmed up...
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