The Law Society has issued a new practice note on contaminated land and updated their recent one on flood.
The contaminated land practice note updates the ‘warning card’ issued to all solicitors in 2001 and sets out the Law Society’s view of good practice in this area. It is really aimed at how solicitors should deal with potential land contamination issues in property transactions. If you are a solicitor dealing with property transactions you should ensure your current procedures, the searches you order, the advice you provide the client and your precedents all follow this practice note, as well as the updated guidance on contaminated land issued by DEFRA in 2012.
The updated practice note on flood updates the previous document issued in May 2013 to reflect changes in the Flood Re insurance scheme and search data that is available. Like the contaminated land practice note it sets out how solicitors should manage flood issues in property transactions.
Harrison Grant offers an advisory service to law firms who do not have the in-house expertise in relation to environmental issues in property transactions.