Society's News

Corporate Members 2022

3PB Albion Chambers Ashfords Barcan + Kirby Beale & Co Bevan Brittan BLM Burges Salmon Clarke Willmott CMS CMNO DAC Beachcroft The Family Law Practice Foot Anstey (including Enable Law) Freeths Fussell Wright GL Law Guildhall Chambers Irwin Mitchell Solicitors Lyons Davidson Marc White & Co Meade King Osborne Clarke Paragon Costs Solutions Queen Square Chambers Royds Withy King Simmons … more

BLS features in Bristol Post oldest thriving companies in Bristol

Excerpt from the article: How Bristol’s oldest companies are still thriving after more than 100 years in business They include the city’s last-surviving chocolate maker a wine merchant and a tannery. Why do some companies struggle to survive beyond a year while others flourish for hundreds? Although more than 90 per cent of small companies in Britain will survive one … more

BLS Annual Awards Dinner 3rd November 2022

Check out our digital Awards Brochure with a welcome from our C0-Presidents, full details of the award categories and links to our wonderful supporters who make this event possible. We look forward to celebrating the best of the local profession with you on 3rd November! BLS Awards 2022 Digital Brochure

Proposed changes to the Con29 and Con29O enquiries

The Law Society is consulting on proposed changes to the Con29 and Con29O enquiry forms.

Local authority searches are a vital part of the conveyancing process and give buyers important information about matters affecting a property that are registered or recorded with the local authority.

The Con29 and Con29O forms were developed many years ago to standardise the questions that solicitors asked local authorities.

This consultation seeks views on proposed changes to the Con29 and Con29O enquiries with the aim of producing updated Con29 and Con29O forms. Some of the proposed changes result from new issues, such as assets of community value, the community infrastructure levy and the Green Deal. Other proposed amendments aim to take account of recent legislative changes such as the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013.

Preliminary negotiations regarding the proposed changes have taken place with the Local Land Charges Institute and Local Government Association. The results of those discussions are set out in the draft revised forms that accompany the consultation. We are now seeking the views of solicitors, conveyancers, local authorities, search companies and other stakeholders on the proposed changes to the forms.

The Law Society also proposes that for clarity, the Con29 and Con29O enquiries are displayed with the relevant answers when returned.

The consultation will close on 1 August 2013.