CLC consumer empowerment efforts delivering measurable impact, report shows

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has acknowledged the measurable impact of these efforts, particularly in the conveyancing sector.

The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has reported significant and measurable success in its efforts to empower consumers, according to its latest submission to the Legal Services Board (LSB). The CLC, which regulates licensed conveyancers, detailed its progress in helping consumers make more informed choices when selecting legal services providers, particularly in the areas of conveyancing and probate.

In the report, the CLC highlighted the effectiveness of its Informed Choice framework, introduced in December 2018. This framework sets out specific requirements for how licensed conveyancers must publish information to assist consumers in comparing and choosing legal services. According to the submission, the CLC’s initiatives have led to a notable increase in consumer engagement and choice in the legal market.

Sheila Kumar, Chief Executive of the CLC, expressed her satisfaction with the progress, stating:

“The CLC’s role in driving transparency and choice in the legal market is delivering real, measurable results. We are seeing clear evidence that our Informed Choice framework is empowering consumers and helping them make better decisions when selecting legal services.”

Kumar further highlighted the importance of collaboration with other regulatory bodies, such as HM Land Registry and the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), to ensure that consumers are provided with more accessible information when choosing a lawyer.

“Our cooperation with HM Land Registry and the Legal Ombudsman has been crucial. We are working together to put more relevant information into the public domain to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions with greater ease and confidence,” she added.

Increased consumer engagement

The 2024 Tracker Survey issued by the Legal Services Consumer Panel revealed some promising trends. According to the survey, 54% of consumers who used licensed conveyancers actively shopped around before selecting their service provider. This is notably higher than the 41% of consumers who shopped around for all legal services, and 48% of those who used conveyancing services, regardless of the type of provider.

The report attributes this success to the CLC’s proactive approach in ensuring that its Informed Choice framework is effective. The findings suggest that when consumers do compare service providers, they are more likely to choose a licensed conveyancer over other types of legal professionals.

“Given that both factors contribute to this finding, we can confidently say that our Informed Choice regime is having a significant, measurable impact on consumer behaviour,” the CLC noted in its submission.

Commitment to continuous improvement

Despite the positive results, the CLC acknowledged that there is still room for improvement in consumer engagement. While the proportion of consumers who shop around for legal services has increased, the CLC remains committed to further raising these figures.

“We cannot be complacent,” Kumar said. “Overall levels of shopping around could certainly be increased, and we are determined to build on this progress by continuing to empower consumers and improve transparency across the sector.”

The submission also highlighted the low proportion of consumer complaints involving licensed conveyancers. The data shows that only 1 in 400 transactions carried out by CLC-regulated professionals leads to a complaint being investigated by the Legal Ombudsman. Furthermore, only 1 in 2,750 transactions results in a full ombudsman decision. These figures underscore the high level of consumer satisfaction with licensed conveyancers, as 91% of consumers reported being satisfied with both the outcome and the service received.

Addressing consumer vulnerability and digital exclusion

In addition to its work on transparency and consumer choice, the CLC has been focused on addressing issues of consumer vulnerability and digital exclusion. The report outlines the CLC’s adoption of the British Standard definition of vulnerability, and its plans to advise firms on how to apply this in practice.

The CLC is also part of a joint research project with the Bar Standards Board and CILEx Regulation that aims to tackle digital exclusion more effectively. This initiative seeks to ensure that all consumers, particularly those who may be disadvantaged by a lack of access to digital resources, can benefit from the CLC’s consumer empowerment initiatives.

“Our commitment to ensuring that vulnerable consumers are not left behind is a priority,” Kumar noted. “We are working hard to ensure that our regulatory framework takes into account the needs of all consumers, particularly those who may face challenges in accessing information or services online.”

Collaboration with the Legal Ombudsman

The report also discussed ongoing discussions between the CLC and the Legal Ombudsman regarding the publication of data and how it can be used to benefit consumers.

“Once the data is clean and reliable, we will consult on ways it could be made available to consumers in a more meaningful way,” the CLC’s submission stated.

The CLC is exploring how such data can be integrated into its efforts to provide more detailed information to the public, allowing consumers to make even more informed decisions about legal services.

Leading role in consumer advocacy

The CLC’s submission to the LSB also outlined its role in implementing the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)’s recommendations on increasing consumer choice in the legal sector. Kumar, who led cross-regulator work to bring the CMA’s recommendations to life, noted the CLC’s involvement in the development of the Legal Choices website—an online resource aimed at helping consumers understand their legal options.

Kumar reflected on the CLC’s achievements in this area, but emphasised that there is more work to be done.

“The Competition and Markets Authority identified a shortage of information for consumers of legal services. Our involvement in the cross-sector response, alongside our Informed Choice agenda, has been successful, but we know there is still a long way to go,” she said.
“We are committed to continuing our work with other regulators and stakeholders to ensure that consumers can make an informed choice of legal service provider in a way that works for each individual consumer.”

Looking ahead

As the CLC looks to the future, it remains dedicated to expanding its efforts to empower consumers. With plans to continue working closely with other regulators and the Legal Ombudsman, the CLC is determined to ensure that consumers have access to clear, reliable information to make the best possible choices when seeking legal services.