Conveyancing Quality Scheme hits the 1,500 mark

Bright (South West) LLP in Plymouth has become the 1500th legal practice in England and Wales to secure the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) quality standard.

The firm’s new CQS status comes days after the firm was re-accredited with the Law Society’s practice management standard, Lexcel.

New figures from the Law Society show that 403 of the 1,500 CQS firms have the Lexcel quality mark in addition to CQS.

Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson said: “This is a milestone for CQS and cements its place as the must-have accreditation in the residential property market. All CQS firms now automatically qualify to act for some banks and their mortgage customers. The scheme has well and truly arrived with consumers being the main beneficiaries.

“By adding CQS to their Lexcel reaccreditation Bright are sending out a message to the public that it is a legal practice-plus. As well as the high professional commitment expected of all solicitors, Bright has gone the extra mile.

Julie Milton, head of residential conveyancing at Bright, said: “Becoming a CQS firm is a major boost for us and more importantly our clients. There are many different conveyancing service providers out there, making it difficult for home buyers and sellers to identify those which can ensure a safe and efficient level of service.”

“We want to stand out as representing genuine quality in the services we provide. CQS allows us to do that.”

The scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status.