We are fantastic …

… our clients tell us so: just look at our testimonials page – all are absolutely genuine, we promise!

We have deliberately chosen not to join the “Quality Solicitors” brand. We did subscribe to their referral service for a year, but were unhappy with their methods and the results, so ended that experiment fairly rapidly. We now watch in something akin to horrified fascination as various “QS” firms around the country make it clear that their idea of quality stops at the point of marketing and does not interfere with the way they represent their clients – nothing seems to have changed except the emperor has new clothes. We can only feel sorry for the good firms who have hitched their wagon to that brand – their reputation will suffer if the poor firms drag down the overall standard of service that the public experiences

We fear something similar may happen with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Standards scheme, which seems to contain the seeds of its own destruction> The CQS focuses on trying to differentiate solicitors from other conveyancers by emphasising the regulatory controls they will be subject under the scheme, despite the fact that we are already heavily regulated by the Solicitors Regulatioon Authority. Not content with that, the CQS introduces another level of monitoring, though of a very similar type to the SRA’s – it therefore seems to add no value for the public or the lending institutions, but does add another layer of bureacracy for the scheme embers to cope with – and pay for. Where the scheme could have been very valuable – in improving the paperwork and processes used by solicitors in handling coinveyancing – it has (so far) done nothing: it compels scheme members to use out-of-date and poorly draft property information forms for instance, and these will not impress any discerning clients.

We have therefore decided not to join either scheme. We will continue to paddle our own canoe, with the interests of our clients foremost. We know that this year and next will be more challenging than ever, but are determined to meet that challenge. We have inested in new technology and systems to continue with our policy of constantly improving our processes and our service standards. Yes, we have also re-branded, but not merely to wear a set of new clothes but to enable us also to concentrate on the work we do and the service we give our clients.

Onwards and upwards! Here’s to real quality improvement!