Solicitors take fight to top estate agents

By Neil Rose

Solicitors trying to save their conveyancing practices will next week take on one of the country's largest chains of estate agents in its own backyard when they open a Solicitors Property Shop (SPS) in Halifax.Nine firms in the Calderdale valley area have joined the scheme, which is backed by Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre (ESPC).

They will operate independently but share common branding, as well as advertising one another's properties for sale.

However, there will not be a central showroom.

The SPS first launched in the north-east - with a showroom in Newcastle (pictured right) - in late 1998.

It now has 25 law firm members and recorded sales in 1999 exceeding 20 million.

One firm in Darlington, where the SPS concept has taken off especially well, has sold 100 properties since setting up 18 months ago.ESPC is hoping to extend SPS across Yorkshire, with firms in Huddersfield, Keighley, York, Bradford and Sheffield all showing strong interest.

The Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham areas will be the next targets.Mark Hepworth, of Halifax firm Jubb Longbothams, has been co-ordinating the effort.

'I think Darlington is a good example of what can happen in a town-type environment, rather than a city environment, where the connections between solicitors and clients are good,' he said.Mr Hepworth said the move was both defensive and profit-seeking, especially in light of moves towards introducing the seller's pack.

'I feel solicitors can put together a seller's pack that is second to none.

If we are going to put together the seller's pack, we might as well sell the property.'ESPC has dropped its original requirement that firms have to make an up-front capital payment to sign up to SPS, a payment which Mr Hepworth said 'may well have put firms off'.

However, this means there will not initially be a central showroom in Halifax, although Mr Hepworth said he hopes this might change in time.Jonathan Dixon of Halifax firm and SPS member Clarksons & Steele said one-stop estate agency, conveyancing and financial services will 'increase the profitability of conveyancing'.Meanwhile, the solicitor setting up an on-line estate agency (see [2000] Gazette, 16 March, 1) this week said solicitor property sellers can advertise their stock on the site free, unlike estate agents.

Gareth Fatchett, of Birmingham firm Armstrong Neal, has already signed up 1,650 independent estate agents around the country to advertise on the site (www.new-pad.com), whom he said 'have no intention of straying their businesses into seller's packs and conveyancing'.

He said the site, launched this week - 'the first solicitor property Internet portal' - will allow law firms to enter property selling without any capital costs.The site will be expanded to create an on-line 'legal community' by the end of 2000, offering matrimonial, personal injury, wills and probate, tax/investment advice, and stakeholder pensions advice.

Mr Fatchett also aims to advertise commercial property on the Web.

See Focus