There’s plenty of industry chatter about what needs to change in the world of conveyancing - the legal side of buying and selling property. But here’s the issue: while most people in the industry speak the lingo, those with the power to demand change often don’t... and are (often unintentionally) kept in the dark.

That’s why this conversation between Jamie Cole, Co-Founder of Conveynext, Sail Homes & Sail Legal, plus Jade Lacey, Director of Partnerships at Viewber, is well worth a listen.

They dig into what’s happening in conveyancing right now, what should change, and how it actually can change!

With the right tech, up to 90% of the process could be automated - but not everything can (or could) be done by AI.
Let's discuss...

Links and info:
Jamie Cole | LinkedIn -   / jamie-cole-bristol 
Jade Lacey | LinkedIn -   / jade-lacey-3b82861b 
Conveyancers in UK - Fixed Fees | Sail Legal - https://www.saillegal.co.uk/
Selling a Probate Property - Probate Experts | Sail Homes - https://sailhomes.co.uk/

🎬 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qV0v9-bonDo

A message from Ed - Build to Rent is a tiny sector at the moment - with perhaps c.150k units in a vast sea of property.

However, with private landlords (sadly) exiting the sector, and some developers struggling to sell stock, the ability of an experienced operator to manage large numbers of units by taking a chunk of a development is increasingly attractive and one way to maintain a sufficient flow of rental properties.

However, with pension funds always looking for long term safety and returns and a Gov't seemingly looking to increase housing stock, simply taking stock off developers isn't going to be anywhere near enough.

Step forward SFH, single family homes. Traditionally more difficult to manage en masse as they tend to be pepper potted about geographically. The majority of us live in a house, so we need more houses - and investing in portfolios of actual houses is a good way of doing it.

Smaller Estate Agents have usually struggled to get into land and new homes BUT, this rush to BTR and SFH could be a godsend to forward thinking agents. Investors are looking for portfolios, so if agents have intimate knowledge of their locale, one of their main assets surely, they must be able to seek out such housing and developments and put them to investors with a view to helping manage as well?

Great opportunity that Richard and I discuss in more detail - I think you'll find this seriously interesting...

👉 Richard Berridge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-b-5926696/
👉 Ed: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-mead-frics-48232325/

Viewber: Viewber - Property Support 7 Days a Week | Viewber - Viewings, Property Visits and more

Despite upfront information already being mandatory for agents, enforcement is going to get meaningful from June 2025. Making the move to provide upfront information can only improve the process of selling and buying property, and being seen to be moving in the right direction will likely mean you won't be in a beefed up Trading Standard's crosshairs 🤔😬

The advent of tech solutions to help means, for agents... 💡🏠🔑
- Faster transactions
- Less fall throughs
- Quicker payment of commissions

These tech solutions also pave the way to sell data storage and Searches to both buyers and sellers, opening up new income streams.

In the round this has to be one of the biggest win/wins agents have seen in the recent past, with zero conflicts and every reason to pursue.

Watch or listen and see two suppliers providing simple solutions, right now, that'll earn you money and keep Trading Standards from your door.

Viewber Co-Founder Ed Mead discusses with Tim Main from Property Information Products (PIP) & Hussain Somani from Homey...

👉 PIP: https://www.piphome.co.uk/
👉 Homey: https://www.homey.co.uk/
👉 Ed: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-mead-frics-48232325/

Are you looking to stay ahead of the competition and ensure compliance with upcoming changes to the UK property market?

Join Ed from https://viewber.co.uk/ for the latest episode of Ed Talks where he speaks with two experts in their field, Alexander Ali from Finch and Tim Main from Property Information Products.

They discuss strategies for staying on top of changes and how Listing packs can help you do so quickly and efficiently. 

Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to stay updated with more insightful interviews and industry-related content.

🎧 Available to watch at your desk! Find us on the Viewber YouTube Channel

Ed: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-mead-frics-48232325/
Alexander: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderali-finch/
Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-main-mrics-2aabb72b/
Finch: https://www.finch-app.co.uk
Property Information Products: https://www.piphome.co.uk/

Meet Rebecca Marsh: The Property Ombudsman with a Remarkable Journey

In the latest episode of Ed Talks, Ed sits down with Rebecca Marsh, the remarkable figure behind The Property Ombudsman, and delves into her extraordinary career spanning multiple sectors. Join us as we uncover fascinating insights into her journey and gain valuable perspectives on resolving disputes in the world of property.

Rebecca plays a pivotal role in ensuring fairness and resolution in the property sector. However, did you know about the intriguing journey that led her to this position? Join us as we uncover her career, which has spanned the Nuclear, Police, Legal, and Parliamentary sectors.

Rebecca sheds light on the significance of her role as The Property Ombudsman, sharing her passion for what she does, and the essential role redress systems play in resolving disputes between consumers and property agents. She also provides valuable insights into the challenges facing the property industry and offers practical suggestions on how to enhance property services.

If you're interested in the world of property, and dispute resolution, or simply enjoy hearing from accomplished professionals, this interview is a must-watch. Don't miss out on the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and inspiration from Rebecca Marsh's remarkable journey.

Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to stay updated with more insightful interviews and industry-related content.

You may have read about how a trial in Cheshire was dramatically cutting property fall throughs and completion times - Ed talks to Phil Priest (founder of 4Corners Property) and is the man behind it all. Plus, see how you can join in with the trial.

The trial has conclusively shown that simply asking buyers to pay for an upfront search reduces fall throughs to zero and takes weeks off completion! Here he explains what he’s doing and adds in a free PIP vault data room.

Given the paucity of progress from the recent Digital Property Market Steering Group meeting, it perhaps reminds us that in a largely analogue world, keeping it very simple helps.

Watch the video version here.
Contact Phil about joining the trial here.

Speed of transactions has been a hot topic for years and Ed first talked to front line practitioner Peter Ambrose in Dec 2020. So what has changed, if anything, in three years from a conveyancing perspective?

As CEO of The Partnership, with 48 lawyers and assistants, as well as a software business Legalito (making tried and tested conveyancing software available to all), Peter is well placed to comment and usually doesn't hold back.

There's some good empirical data in this discussion, as well as some home truths. Given the substantial amount of hot air delivered on the subject, an objective overview of what's REALLY happening 'behind the scenes' is overdue.

Property Industry Eye article Ed refers to at the beginning: https://propertyindustryeye.com/would-no-sale-no-fee-conveyancing-help-speed-up-housing-transactions/

It's a hot topic - the private rental sector and what is happening with landlords?
In this episode Ed talks to Ben Beadle, CEO of The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). The largest membership organisation for private residential landlords in England and Wales, supporting and representing over 100,000 members.

Ben reminds us first that he's a landlord himself with a strong background in housing and property management, so plenty of insider knowledge to draw on.

Interestingly - Ben actually met up with Ed to record this episode straight after speaking with Government about issues and changes happening in the PRS! So fresh from the big meeting, he was ready and open to discuss pressing topics such as Section 21 - at the end Ben is asked what he thinks being a landlord will look like in 24 months time.

🎬  Available to watch on YouTube.

A reflective episode from Ed in this solo episode. Ed spent many years as part of the Douglas & Gordon family so is understandably sad to see the company end this month. 

Ed explains how D&G stood for strong, old-school values. 

We hear about fond memories, mentors and legends who impacted Ed’s career journey and even how some of his biggest competitors at the time turned into life-long friends. 

Estate agency life was certainly very different back in the late 70s, 80s and 90s. 

Did you work as an estate agent during that time, in the ‘golden era’? We’d love to hear some of your thoughts on how things have changed - if you think they have?

📖 Read Ed's article: RIP Douglas & Gordon

🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast platform 🎧
Apple podcasts

In this episode Ed talks to the original property auction expert, David Sandeman. David is the founder of the Essential Information Group aka. ‘The only place you will find virtually every property auction in the UK’. THE go-to place for auction data: www.eigpropertyauctions.co.uk

David’s advice is who you need when considering taking the still somewhat esoteric leap into buying or selling at auction. With over 30 years' experience and insider knowledge, he certainly has a comforting way of explaining complicated legal processes and methods into something much simpler and less daunting, with examples. Covering controversial topics such as ‘Modern Method of Auction’, what to look out for and what not to miss… or as David explains, “ALWAYS check the clauses and for missing paperwork in the legal documents, there may be a vital page or two missing.”

If you are considering entering the world of property auctions, or would like to expand your knowledge, don’t miss out on this.

Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/oR04LtQ7r5o

Does the British public need to understand the process of buying, selling and owning a home better? A big yes - knowledge is power!

In this episode, Ed talks to Paula Higgins - CEO of The HomeOwners Alliance (A solid place for trenchant advice on buying, selling and owning a home) https://hoa.org.uk/

With 10 years of experience and a background as a civil servant, Paula knows her stuff and has an eye for detail.

Ed and Paula dive into what it takes to be a buyer or homeowner these days, reflecting on how previous generations had such a different experience, compared to both Ed and Paula’s children’s realities when navigating property in today’s era.

They both bring strong points to the table, discuss current government/property policy and address the elephant in the room – is The HomeOwners Alliance up against Estate Agents? For instance – they point out Estate Agents don’t like talking about certain things up front, like fees.

As always, Ed is keen to gather the best nuggets of advice from his guest and bring them to you. If you own, buy or sell property, this will be helpful.

A big thank you to Paula for taking the time, it’s been insightful and important to lift the lid on this topic.

🎧 This episode is also available to watch to on the Viewber YouTube channel here.