Law Society unveils consultation on controversial TA6 form

The Law Society has launched a consultation for conveyancers and legal groups on how its latest TA6 property information form should be structured.

The 5th edition of the TA6 form was launched in March, including the latest material information requirements, but compulsory use was abandoned in June following opposition from conveyancers.

Law firms are worried that the rules open conveyancers up to legal liability.

The Law Society leadership is even facing a vote of no confidence over the issue.

In the latest development, a six-month consultation on the TA6 Property Information Form (5th edition) (2024) has been launched to determine areas of concern and what it should include.

The consultation will include:

• Engagement with stakeholder groups including conveyancing and legal groups, local law societies, and Law Society licensees.

• An online survey to capture views on the wider policy changes in residential conveyancing. Also to capture views about the TA6 itself and experience of using the property form.

• Focus groups with conveyancers to understand their current experience of using both versions of the TA6 and to understand the concerns on key areas of change.

• Delivering deep dive online webinars exploring key areas of concern including liability and digitisation.

• User experience testing of the new form.

Ian Jeffery, chief executive of the Law Society, said: “We are committed to engaging with conveyancers across the country in the coming months to discuss issues relating to the new edition of the TA6 form.

“We want to hear from conveyancers who have used the forms and also those who haven’t and understand why they haven’t.

“We want to understand users’ experience and views of the TA6 form and its part in the wider conveyancing landscape and to identify improvements to the property form.”

An independent research agency will also carry out the direct member engagement exercises and survey and analyse the feedback.