Council of Licensed Conveyancers joins CCHB Advisory Forum

The Council for Licenced Conveyancers has joined the Consumer Code for Home Builders’ Advisory Forum, further strengthening the expertise and range of views regularly guiding the Code.

Teresa Perchard, Chair of the Consumer Reference Group at the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), will now represent the CLC on the Advisory Forum, having attended her first meeting as a guest earlier in October. Teresa brings over 30 years’ experience of developing, implementing and influencing policy on regulation, consumer protection and consumer affairs. In that time, she has worked for the National Consumer Council, the Office of Water Services and Citizens Advice and has spent more than a decade in governance roles in utility and legal services regulation, and is a former Council member of the CLC.

The CLC is the statutory legal regulator of professional conveyancers and probate practitioners. CLC practitioners represent a large share of the conveyancing market which is an essential part of the new build buying and selling process. Input from the CLC will help the Advisory Forum consider a wider range of views and challenges from across the legal sector.

Teresa Perchard, CLC, said: “Conveyancing is the most frequently used legal service, and is fundamental to buyers of new homes being able to do so. It is important home buyers are appropriately informed and supported in knowing what they can expect from their conveyancer as well as the developer or home builder. I am pleased to be invited to join the Code’s Advisory Forum as the CLC’s Customer Reference Group plays an important role in helping the CLC to develop its regulatory policies on vital issues such as the ethical principles conveyancing lawyers should follow in all of their work.’

Ron Gainsford OBE, Chair of the Code’s Advisory Forum, said: “We are pleased to welcome Teresa and the CLC to our Advisory Forum. Alongside input from the Law Societies for England and Wales, Teresa’s input will help ensure we take appropriate account of conveyancing issues and principles which may have a bearing on our Code and the protection we provide to consumers.”

The Code’s Advisory Forum meets twice yearly to discuss key issues facing new build home buyers, builders and related industries, and their impact on the Code. The Forum combines consumer and industry representatives, whose deliberations are shared with the Code Board to guide policy decisions. For details, visit how the Code is governed.