A look at Conveyancing Concierge with Kay Toon

Our Conveyancing Concierge manages your transaction for you, assisting you when you need it most. Earlier this month we sat down with Kay Toon, our Key Account Manager, who specialises in complex commercial plots and is a dab hand with concierge.  

What is the Conveyancing Concierge Service?

It’s a brilliant service that eases the pressure on busy conveyancers and Local Authority practitioners who haven’t got the time to map plots or think about large commercial transactions and new build sites. All you need to do is email us with the address and the plan – we will manage the rest for you. We will even chase the searches for you to ensure a swift and smooth completion.

How does the process work?

Typically, a solicitor will send an email to our concierge service inbox with their request. This is then either dealt with by our wonderful customer service team, or if the plot is large and complex I take this on myself. I really like putting through searches that aren’t straight forward. When a customer gets in touch, we ask them to provide all the information we’ll need to put the searches through including, the case number, address, searches required, and any notes that might be helpful. We then create a new case, using the solicitor's matter reference, in their account – so they can log in and check the status of the searches at any time.

Sometimes a solicitor can’t provide an address, for instance for a ‘land at’ search. When this happens, I’ll have a look at Google Maps to get as much information as I can. I will also look at the maps provided by the solicitor, looking for landmarks and identifiable features to help me find the location on our mapping. Then it is just a case of plotting the boundary.  

We recently upgraded our mapping which has improved the mapping process! It is much more intuitive and easier to use. If, like in a ‘land at’ search, the plot isn’t entirely clear I’ll check back in with the solicitor to confirm that the right area is being searched. When I am confident that it is the right area, I will proceed and add in the searches including any extra information needed including Part 2 questions for the LA reports. I then send the solicitor a quote with a full breakdown of the cost including VAT. It will give them the estimated turnaround of the LA search, full details of any extent of highways, plus any additional Part 2 questions will be listed. They can then send this quote to their client. Once the client accepts the quotation the solicitor will email me back to proceed with the order. The quotation will remain on the solicitor's matter file for disbursement costs and future reference.

You mention Part 2 questions, what are they? 

Well, part 2 questions are not standard in an LA report. They carry an extra charge. Out of the additional part 2 questions, these are the ones that are most ordered:

• common land, towns and villages
• pipelines
• hedgerow notice

What happens if there is a query? 

With concierge, a query can either come from us, as the producer of the CON29DW, or one of our suppliers. Although we ask the user to provide as much information as they can when they first get in touch, sometimes I need more information to help select the right searches. For example, if it is a plot of land, I would assume it was being redeveloped, but this isn’t always the case. If it is, there is a specific environmental report that needs to be ordered as we need to check to see if the land has been contaminated. If this ever happens, I’ll simply give the solicitor a call to find out more.  

If one of our suppliers has a query, they’ll get in touch with us. We always try and answer the query based on the information we have but occasionally we are unable to. Again, when this happens, we’ll just give the solicitor a call to check.

What’s the benefit of mapping out the plot, rather than using the map provided by the solicitor?

Our mapping software measures the exact size of the boundary. Sometimes, especially with larger commercial plots, the price of a search is dependent on the land size. Our mapping calculates the precise land size meaning only the correct search can be ordered. This cuts out time spent on querying the land size. If a solicitor uploads a plan, the smallest land size option for a product will be quoted. This can produce an incorrect quote and mean a solicitor has to go back to their client for additional funds after the searches have been ordered.

What happens when the searches come back?

The reports are automatically emailed over as soon as each one comes back. The solicitor can also log into their dashboard to view the progress of a report at any time. It will give a rundown of what is happening, whether a report has been returned, needs more information, or is in progress. The returned searches can also be downloaded from there at any time.

What are the main benefits of using the concierge service?

Efficiency. For a busy fee earner, it saves them a lot of time. It can be a lengthy process placing orders, especially for complicated plots and sometimes it is hard to know where to start. I put orders through daily so it can be easier for me, or one of the team, to place the order for you.  

We always ensure that the right boundary is mapped out and the right searches are selected. If we know there is a better search than the one requested by the solicitor we will always recommend it to the solicitor to ensure they are getting the best search for their money, with the most accurate information needed. This will also ensure you do your due diligence for your client. It can be confusing to know which report to select from the plethora of searches available, especially with big plots of land. We often see people choosing a SiteCheck Assess instead of a Site Solutions Combined. It is that kind of detail that concierge picks up on quickly.

And don’t just take our word for it, here’s what our customers have to say about the process:

“I have used Geodesys for property searches for some time, and the range of products and simple ordering make using them easy. Having a dedicated account manager provides a handy point of contact for both ordering and queries. The dashboard is an excellent place to keep track of orders and download replies, and communication regarding placing and receiving orders is quick, friendly, professional, and helpful at all times. Highly recommend.”

If you would like to find out more about how our Conveyancing Concierge Service can help you, speak to your account manager or get in touch with us!

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