In my view, David Lewis of Countrywide Property Lawyers is avoiding a main issue (see [2003] Gazette, 25 September, 16).

In Torquay, where I practise, we have an increasing number of conveyancing factories where staff are instructed to persuade, with incentives, buyers or sellers to use their conveyancing services.

Human nature being what it is, and particularly where young, first-time buyers are concerned, it would seem that little persuasion is needed.

The effect of this is two-fold - first, it means that clients never have the opportunity of meeting their solicitors and, secondly, more and more conveyancing business is being taken out of the town.

One can only surmise as to how many clients have been lost and will be lost to conveyancing factories through ambitious negotiators offering incentives.

This is an ever-increasing problem which is not attracting the attention it deserves.

P A Goodrich, Lee-Barber Goodrich & Co, Torquay