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Practising lawyer Hannah Beko leads agenda for wellbeing change with new book

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For those in the legal profession who feel like wellbeing is not on the agenda at their firm, wellbeing consultant and practising lawyer Hannah Beko is commanding change.

The mum-of-three has penned a new book called The Authentic Lawyer which tells workers exactly how to get more from their lives and careers without working harder.

After more than two decades in the legal profession, she often wonders whether to steer her own sons away from a career in law or whether times might be changing with regards to wellbeing.

Since she realised the impact of chronic stress on her career, health and life in 2015, she became an avid researcher into the mental health of lawyers – and discovered that 95 per cent of those surveyed by the Law Society in 2015 reported suffering from moderate to severe work-related stress. At that time law was also considered to be one of the most stressful professions, above the emergency services and armed forces. 

Hannah believes that one reason for high stress levels is the huge pressure on legal professionals to deal with billing and chargeable hours targets, utilisation figures and write off explanations. 

She said: “I didn’t develop chronic stress as an employed lawyer. I was self-employed with no time recording, and no set targets. Very often my coaching clients who are looking for more work life balance, admit it’s not their firms asking them to work long hours, they have trouble switching off and calling it a day.  The work is never done. 

“Character traits that tend to bring us into law – the ones law firms even hire for – include: people pleasing, being a yes person, perfectionist tendencies and similar. 

“These sorts of personalities have a higher likelihood of succumbing to stress and ultimately burnout.  Especially combined with a profession who saw finishing on time, taking your holidays, resting and recuperating, as laziness or a demonstration of a lack of commitment.”

Hannah decided to write her book about how to help other lawyers take charge of their lives and avoid the same stress she had suffered.

She believes that the reason lawyers are leaving the profession in droves is because health and wellbeing matters to them and while those practising are told wellbeing is on the agenda, the numbers of lawyers suffering is still increasing.

Secondly, she blames management buy-in because if those higher up continue to prioritise the billing and client work, those they are a role model to, will do the same. 

“We need to start investing in our people and understanding what support they need, then providing it,” Hannah added. “Not only is it the right thing to do, to look after our people, but happy lawyers are more productive lawyers and even provide a better customer service.”

Gender Pay Gap Pushed Back by A Century Due to Covid

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Landmark study from QU finds 1 in 5 British female executives feel they’re not taken seriously as a business leader
  

  • 27% of British women state they have no support role whom they feel comfortable to take guidance from
  • 19% of British women agreed that their family do not support their entrepreneurial business endeavours
  • 20% of British female executives suffer from feeling under-qualified to confidently own their job title of Director/Founder/Senior Manager 
  • 22% of British women have no mentors that look like them or come from the same background 
  • 25% of British women feel they’re taken less seriously as a business leader

The COVID pandemic has served as a catalyst in widening the inequalities that underrepresented groups face in the UK’s business ecosystem – according to new research from the World Economic Forum (WEF), gender pay parity is at its lowest since their index was incepted. This reduction in the gender pay gap comes from women taking on disproportionate responsibilities of care for family members and children. British women’s high representation in sectors that were locked down and hard hit during the pandemic has meant that gender pay parity has been pushed back to 132 years, according to the WEF. In light of this, QU – a business consultancy for female and ethnic minority founded businesses – has commissioned new national research which found 27% of women in business receive much lower mentorship during their career due to a lack of representation in senior management roles with 18% of British women stating they left their sector due to this.

QU commissioned the unique study to better understand the lack of support networks that hinder women in businesses to successfully reach senior roles. The research found that a staggering 19% of British women don’t have support from their families to carry out their business endeavours with a striking 21% of British women stating they felt like an outcast from their family and community for having different career aspirations, indicating a critical lack of support and mentorship.

Key stats:

  • 27% of British women state they have no support role whom they feel comfortable to take guidance from
  • 19% of British women agreed that their family do not support their entrepreneurial business endeavours
  • 21% of British women state they’ve always felt like an outcast in their family and community for having different career aspirations to their families and the wider community
  • 31% of British women state they don’t know where to source investment opportunities to grow their business
  • 25% of British women feel they’re taken less seriously as a business leader
  • 19% of British women said that due to a lack of diversity in the higher ranks of their business they never saw a future in it, so they left that sector.

To address the disparities faced by female founded businesses, the recent Rose Review Progress Report has brought into effect the foundation of the Taskforce on Women-Led High-Growth Enterprises. The government backed initiative aims to help women in business by providing the tools to grow in their organisations as well as provide female entrepreneurs with access to finance and growth capital, increased technological adoption, and improved leadership skills. According to the report, if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men, up to £250bn of new value could be added to the UK economy. 

Shock UK economic growth provides optimism for dealmakers

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Chris Biggs, CEO and founder of consultancy and accounting company, Theta Global Advisors, discusses the external factors affecting the deals market and the importance of astute business advisors

Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the UK economy grew by 0.5% in May – much higher than the flat rate of growth many were expecting after shrinking numbers in April and March. The Director of Economic Statistics at the ONS, Darren Morgan, has stated the UK economy has “rebounded” largely across sectors such as construction, services, and manufacturing. This could provide renewed optimism for dealmakers after the value of M&A in the UK dropped by 20% in the first quarter compared to the same time last year – though the actual number of deals has remained strong in 2022. Chris Biggs, CEO of accounting and consultancy firm, Theta Global Advisors, explains that the combination of a more positive outlook and company valuations that have plummeted, could provide a wealth of opportunities for deep-pocketed private investors.

An analysis from PwC has even highlighted that deals done during times of economic downturn often provide buyers with better returns, meaning that there could be a strong flurry of activity in the second half of the year, even if the growth in the economy progresses to a plateau or slight fall. There has also been an increasing number of public-to-private transactions so far in 2022, further highlighting the opportunities that can be found in the current market. Ultimately, during times of high inflation, investors do not want to be sitting on their cash. This means that despite current market uncertainty, there will continue to be activity from VC houses and institutional investors – whether that is through acquisitions or funding.

However, there has been a notable shift in the market away from late-stage start ups with high cash burn, as a much greater emphasis is now being placed on sustainability. Therefore, it is the early-stage start ups with this ethos in mind that stand in better stead amidst this challenging environment. In order for a deal or fundraising round to go smoothly, financial advisors are key in helping to facilitate the process and gain the best terms for the company involved. 

According to data from Deloitte, nearly two-thirds (63%) of businesses report that the success of their M&A was moderately or highly dependent on a successful transformation – often led by a senior level and external advisor. In order for start-ups to take advantage of the exit opportunities, Chris Biggs outlines the importance of bringing an experienced CFO or COO -on an interim basis- to implement transformational changes to working capital, reorganisation, increasing cost reduction, and legal entity restructuring to secure the best deal possible. 

Chris Biggs, CEO & Founder of Theta Global Advisors, explained how companies need to be agile in order to complete an IPO or M&A in the current market:

“Though the British economy bounced back in May, continuous rising interest rates have caused a significant shift in the deals market. That’s why we’re trying to encourage companies to get themselves as ready as quickly possible. Because, if you have that little opportunity that comes up in six months’ time, you must take it and not push it out to 12 months. In an uncertain market you need to be ready to take the chance when it arises, as there may not be many more on the horizon – especially if the cash flow runway is limited. 

“A key part of that is enlisting the help of experienced advisors that can help you get your business’ shop window in order, so to speak. This early and expert preparation gives companies the greatest chance of getting a deal, IPO or fundraise over the line. 

“I think the private equity houses are looking for opportunities to invest in new companies, because it’s that first phase where you can start to invest and grow it – that’s where you can add the most value and see your overall investment grow. So, the problem is, if it’s a company they have already invested in for three, four or even five years they have already gone through that cycle. So, if they invest more in it, they are going to get smaller returns for what they invest in.

“A lot of the PE houses would prefer to invest in companies where there is greater growth potential – i.e. that first round of funding that companies do. I think we are possibly moving into the environment where funding of private equity is going to become more common than funding through classic banks. Because these private equity houses need to get the cash out.”   

Human error remains a key challenge in Fintech security

Current State of Fintech Security: Expert Warns on Rising Phishing Attacks, Human Factor Remains Key Challenge

Cybersecurity challenges continue to rise for fintechs. The digital natives are more than ready to ward off threats from a technical standpoint, thus enabling them to focus on another crucial security point – human judgment – and limiting its errors through team and client education.

July 13, 2022. In Q1 of 2022, fintech companies have experienced 2.5 times more attacks than in the two previous years. The growing rate of cybercrime has added to the market unrest and questioned fintech preparedness; some claimed that the industry players are more susceptible to virtual threats than traditional banking, with greater resources at their disposal. 

Thibaud Catry, Head of Compliance at ConnectPay, said that claims about diminishing fintech security are far-fetched, although he encouraged ramping up defenses due to rising cyber threats.

“In today’s day and age, the size of your business does not determine the capability to fend off fraudsters”, said Catry. “The massive fraud prevention departments that traditional banks have are becoming obsolete, as the ‘strength in numbers’ paradigm has shifted to ‘strength in technology’. Now it’s possible to prevent fraud at the same — or even higher — efficiency with fewer people simply by utilizing the appropriate tools and automation.”

He also noted that, in a way, the long-standing credibility of legacy banks puts them at greater risk. For instance, in phishing assaults, large banks are frequently a better target for fraudsters as they service an incredibly high number of people. 

“If a person has an account with a well-known bank and receives a notice, stating that it has been blocked, it is more likely that s/he will click the link. As a result, scammers frequently target people using the most common bank names, exploit brand awareness to reel in unaware clients.”

Threats on rise

When comparing the pre-pandemic period with the first couple of years of the pandemic, reports indicate that online fraud attack rates have shot up by 233%. Fintechs have not been immune as well, with attacks on the industry players reportedly soaring by 70% in 2021.

Catry has shared this is largely felt across the industry, noting an increased amount of phishing attacks, Brand Abuse, and CEO scams (fraudsters impersonating a senior company manager). The latter is harder to stop, as social engineering types of frauds prey on and exploit human trust.  

“Even the best technology implemented might not work if a recipient blindly trusts any sender, does not take time to evaluate the legitimacy of content, and press any link s/he gets,” Catry said.

In the last few months alone, ConnectPay had to up their security several times; most recently – when Russia invaded Ukraine. Early preparations have helped keep scammers at bay and clients’ funds secure so far; Catry accredits resilience to securing not only their systems’ backend but also their website, having its backups on another domain. The company also uses its own cyber security solution to maintain ironclad safety.

Although the trend is continuing upward, he emphasized that being digitally native enables the fintech sector to handle cyberthreats with more ease than legacy banking could. Yet one crucial point on both sides needs greater attention. “The importance of sound tech safeguards in place cannot be overstated, but when it comes to security, human decisions, rather than technology, is still the weakest link in the chain,” he added. 

Educating clients to limit human error

Building awareness both internally and externally (the latter is often overlooked) could significantly change the power dynamic. Catry noted that while training employees on the most prevalent scam scenarios is a common practice, clients are usually not part of this process, even though they are the primary target.

“Raising awareness regarding fraud is key to making sure that the preemptive safeguards hold up. Of course, fraud prevention requires sophisticated technical solutions to quickly spot and address anomalies in transactions. However, you cannot be one step ahead if all the people, involved in the process, are not aware of possible risks.”

He mentioned that educating clients along with employees has bore fruit at ConnectPay as well, raising overall preparedness to ward off scammers. “Including clients into the equation can drastically tip the scales in financial service provider’s favor, adding an extra layer of security that is not easily penetrated, as con artists are left with fewer vulnerabilities to exploit.”

Domestic developers helping alleviate unbalanced levels of supply & demand in UK property market

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There has been a 24% increase in homes brought to market, as millennial developers flood the property sector

Simon Bath is a property expert and the creator of Moveable – he discusses the increasing trend of remortgaging and developing, and why this is exactly what the housing market needs

A severe imbalance between supply and demand has driven house prices to the highest levels in almost two decades. With the government failing to deliver on their target of building 300,000 new homes a year, property expert, Simon Bath, explains that domestic developers could be the key to bringing the housing market back to its glory days. It appears they are already having an impact, with research from Rightmove revealing that there has been a 24% jump in the number of prospective sellers bringing homes to the market, as estate agent appraisals reach the highest level since January. 

Brits are becoming increasingly entrepreneurial in their motivations behind being a “homeowner”, not to mention the means with which they are accessing the capital to do so. In order to fund these ambitions, remortgaging to release equity will be key in giving borrowers a boost in capital and ultimately the ability to throw thousands of pounds into a deposit for a second home. 

In addition to Rightmove’s research, a unique study commissioned by property concierge platform, Moveable, has found that 1-in-10 homeowners are looking to re-mortgage their home in order to buy a second one – this figure rises to 1-in-5 for millennials – while a further 24% of millennials are looking to buy a home to develop, not to live in. This perfect combination of increased activity and stimulation within the housing market is not only providing existing homeowners with the chance to earn money, but also helping prospective homeowners get on the ladder by increasing levels of stock and reducing prices in the market. 

Moveable’s landmark study also highlights a surprising correlation between patterns of remortgaging and property development. In Milton Keynes and London, a respective 22% and 17% of homeowners (all ages) are looking to re-mortgage their home to buy a second property. This comes as both areas show a significant boom in property development, with 22% of developers (all ages) looking to do so in Milton Keynes and London. House prices in Milton Keynes have outstripped UK house price growth by 41.8% (£28,000 per year) in this decade alone, according to Lion Estates. Similarly, the value of a property in the capital is now £24,000 higher than March 2021, according to the ONS, demonstrating a significant increase in value.
Simon Says:
“Significant steps have been made this year in an attempt to help first-time buyers with getting onto the property ladder, including the removal of affordability tests, longer mortgage plans and the Right to Buy scheme. However, these schemes still haven’t addressed one crucial factor of such a volatile market  – the severe imbalance of supply and demand.

“There’s been a general change of pace around the housing market, meaning that Brits are now looking to property development and buy-to-let as another source of steady income. Ever since the beginning of the 2000s, the housing market has seen an increasing trend in the ownership of more than one home, with people having this objective in mind. Currently, one in ten adults in the UK have wealth from properties additional to their own home, with many of them receiving some form of income through developing and buy-to-let. Houses are way more valuable now than they used to be, and with that comes investment opportunities.

“Because there is currently so little stock, house prices are continuously increasing – making it near impossible for first-time buyers to lock in a property. Promoting domestic housing developers will essentially help to alleviate the current supply chain issues and make it more achievable for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder.”

Why You Aren’t Getting Better at Raids in World of Warcraft

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World of Warcraft is a massive game where you can do tons of stuff. From going on long quests to finding and slaying powerful bosses, the game lets you do it all. The thing which a lot of players love about the game is Raids. This is mainly because Raids let them fight waves of enemies, including powerful bosses. Furthermore, you can earn amazing items through Raids, which you can’t find elsewhere in the game. Unless you’re into WoW Gold buying and you have tons of money to buy in-game stuff. 

Now, while Raids are amazing and all, they are not meant for everyone. And by this, I don’t mean that they can not be enjoyed by everyone. But they are a little more difficult than the other activities present in the game. For instance, if you’re doing a quest, your main goal will be to go on a journey, fight a couple of enemies, grab an item, and return to a location. But in Raids, there is so much more. 

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Raids require a team of at least two players. However, you can do them with a total of 40 people. The number can’t go any higher than this, but 40 players are enough to do a Raid run smoothly. This is also a big reason why people prefer doing Raids instead of Dungeons in WoW. Dungeons are somewhat similar to Raids as you get to fight waves of enemies in them as well. However, you can only do them with up to 5 players, but they are easier to complete. Also, they take less time than a Raid.

If you’ve been doing Raids and are not getting better at them, the problem isn’t with the activity, but with you. A lot of WoW players often complain that they can’t do Raids properly or are not able to make improvements to them, and this is only because they aren’t doing things right. Today, we are going to discuss the reasons why you aren’t getting better at Raids.

Get A Good Understanding of the Game 

First things first, you need to have a good overall understanding of World of Warcraft if you want to perform well in Raids. If you’re not good in other activities, how can you expect to do good in Raids? Some players play WoW only for the sole purpose of doing Raids, but they must understand that they need to do everything else as well. Until they become a better player in the game, they won’t be able to perform well in Raids. Therefore, make sure you do everything there is in the game so that you don’t miss out on anything.

Play Your Role 

During a Raid, each player has a specific role. The roles are divided into three categories, Tank, Healer, and DPS. The main role of Tank is to keep the attention all to himself and deal the most amount of damage to enemies. Tanks have the most amount of health, something that helps them live longer. On the other hand, Healers are, as their name suggests, the medic of their group. Their job is to keep their entire team alive. And finally, DPS are the ones who assist the Tank with taking down enemies.

Now, if you’re playing the role of a Tank, make sure you’re doing everything properly. You need to stay at the front and make sure nothing gets to your teammates. You need to be the one who will be dealing the most amount of damage, and nothing should hold you back from annihilating the enemies.

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Similarly, if you’re playing as a Healer, then don’t try to get in the Tank’s way. Your main job is to keep your teammates alive by healing them, so keep this a priority. Taking down enemies comes in second place for you, as you should only focus on providing health to your teammates whenever it falls below a certain percentage. 

As for DPS, these are Damage Dealers, and your main job while playing as them is to assist the Tank player in taking down enemies. You need to fight groups of enemies and do everything in your power to make things easier for the Tank. 

As you can see, each player has a specific role to play in Raid. If you’re not doing what is required of you, then not only will you fail to make any improvements in Raids but will also become a burden on your teammates. And trust me, there is nothing worse than being a bad teammate during a Raid, as you’ll ruin the experience of everyone else. 

Stop Trying To Do Things Solo 

The third and final thing you need to stop doing is going after everything on your own. Raids are meant to be completed as a team, and you should act like a team player as well. If you try to do things on your own, then not only will you get eliminated quickly but others won’t be able to enjoy the Raid because of you as well.

These were some reasons why you can’t get better at Raids as well. Overall, just try to be a good player and make sure your team isn’t carrying you around like dead weight. 

How to choose the best green laser sight?

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As most of you know, the tactical is what gives us a strategic advantage over a clear objective. However, there are some tactical tools that get blurred by a huge sea of ​​data and functionality. This is the case of tactical flashlights, a swampy terrain in which, after many years of development, “the more, the better” still prevails. Who doesn’t have in mind the prototype security guard with a flashlight of biblical proportions? It may be that this thought stored in our brain and enhanced by Hollywood imagery is the culprit that, when purchasing a flashlight, we make blunders.

Do we know what lumens are?

The field of lighting, and specifically flashlights, has evolved remarkably in recent years. Costs and consumption have been reduced, power has increased, the quality of light is greater with less effort… however, does that mean that any flashlight deserves the tactical name? As you will see, there is a huge confusion in the market…

10 years ago, when someone wanted to buy a flashlight for something other than home use, they would run to a specialized store and look for a model with good power. To do this, we simply had to select a model with a high watt indicator, which “assured” us that the accessory was going to produce a good amount of light. Of course, those who remember high school will notice that the watt in this case is the measurement used to calculate the energy expenditure for the flashlight to work properly. And of course, at the time the easiest thing was to think that the more watts consumed, the more light… of course, nothing could be further from the truth, as we will see below.

Today there is not a single light bulb that is sold, without wielding ahead the number of lumens it develops. The lumen is the unit of measurement for the luminous flux, that is, the amount of light perceived by the eye, coming from a source. Thanks to the development of lighting technology, especially advances in LED technology, current light emitters consume less and less energy and emit more and better light. Of course, this fact does not mean that any current flashlight is worth everything, but rather the opposite. The protection of manufacturers in lumens has meant that when buying, consumers only look at this indicator… because if a flashlight develops many lumens, it must emit more light, right?

Once again, we are making the same mistake we made 10 years ago with the power of the flashlight. It is true that lumens are a more accurate measure than watts, but it is also clear that luminous flux is a rather subjective quantity that can depend on many factors and is merely indicative. There can perfectly be 2 identical flashlights that develop the same lumens and yet show clear differences in terms of the quality of their lighting.

So, what is the solution to know what is a good flashlight according to your lighting?

Technically, the only reliable way to know the performance of a light emitter, just by reading its instructions, is to know the illuminance value, that is, the ratio of lumens developed for each square meter of distance (lum / m ²) . However, almost no manufacturer indicates this value on their products. Unfortunately, the only way to get close to the answer is to do a field test and test the flashlight at various distances. Obviously having good knowledge can help us do our calculations, but let’s be clear: most of the time, when we buy a flashlight “we are in the dark”. Therefore, never use lumens as a fixed, infallible measure, but as what it is, something indicative, approximate and, of course, manipulable.

There are many types of tactical flashlights on the market but today, green laser tactical light is the most popular one…

Choosing the best green laser sight is simply a matter of doing some research and learning a little about what makes one brand of laser sight better than another. There are plenty of red and green laser sights on the market, but green laser sight models may have some advantages over red laser sights including visibility, power consumption, operating temperature, aiming adjustment possibilities, and size. In general, a green laser sight is going to cost more than the more common red laser sight. For some situations and applications, the green laser sight can provide a tactical advantage over other types of targeting systems.

The visibility of a green laser sight in different light conditions is superior to the typical red laser sight. The reason for this lies in the photoreceptor nerve cells in the eye that convert light into electrochemical signals that are transmitted to the brain. These photoreceptors can see visible light from the red end of the spectrum at one Ned (about 700 nanometers) to violet at the other end with a wavelength of about 400 nanometers. Green is in the middle of this range of visible light, and is best seen by humans. This is why green laser sights are better than red laser sights, especially at long ranges, in direct sunlight, and in low light conditions as well.

A technical challenge with green laser sight technology is the operating temperature range. Green lasers are very picky about temperature and the environment around them, so heat and cold can have a negative effect on the performance of the filtering process that converts the infrared beam to a green beam. Take a careful look at the technical data of any green laser sight, and make sure that the laser will perform optimally within a certain temperature range. This range can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and will likely affect the price for units operating in higher temperature ranges.

Precise mounting and orientation adjustment are important for any weapon, but they are critical for any type of laser or tactical sight. The actual size of the green laser sight is something to consider, as it is more complex, takes up more space, and requires more power and possibly a larger battery to operate. Cheaper laser sights will typically be bulkier, have less precise targeting mechanisms, and may even leak harmful radiation. More expensive green laser sights, made by the best quality manufacturers, will use better materials and offer better performance in almost any orientation or tactical conditions.

What causes delays while buying and selling your home and how can you avoid it?

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You may feel excited—perhaps even relieved—when your house sells after a mere month or so on the market, and you can move forward with your plans. There are several ways to avoid some of the most common delays when buying or selling a house. They will help both buyers and sellers move swiftly through the process and prevent any unnecessary expenses. The current housing market is undeniably a seller’s market. The demand for real estate is at an all-time high, and homes are selling at a record rate and frequently for far more than the asking price. Here are the key items that can delay the selling process in light of the fact that there are still some elements that can significantly slow down a transaction.

Avoid chains

The selling process is being delayed more than anything else by a chain. When a property sale depends on the closing of another, typically because buyers must first sell their current home in order to fund the purchase of their new home, a chain is created. When a link in a chain is broken, the connected sales may, at worst, fail, and, at best, may experience substantial delays. Chain delays can result from a variety of factors, not merely fall-throughs. Additionally, not all of the link sales are progressing at the same rate. For example, some purchasers are more proactive and well-prepared than others, and some mortgage agreements close more quickly than others.

Allowing agents and conveyancers to manage all contact between the numerous buyers and sellers is the best approach to prevent chain delays. The best method to guarantee that everyone involved has a clear sense of when their sale will be completed is to rely on professionals to design and explain timelines. If you want to sell or rent a property in Bracknell it is always advisable to seek the advice of the experts.

Quality of real estate brokers and lawyers

It is essential that agents and attorneys succeed in these areas since efficiency and communication are so essential to effective, timely property sales, not least when chains are involved. Even the simplest tasks, like ordering a Local Authority Search or creating a contract, can take a professional far longer than is necessary if they are either overworked or lazy.

The first error that sellers frequently commit is selecting the estate agent that provides them with the highest valuation estimate or who charges the lowest commission. This is due to the fact that lousy agents with a negative reputation frequently rely on exorbitant appraisals or ridiculously low fees to secure business, whereas agents with a good reputation are able to let their reputation work for them. Therefore, sellers should seek out brokers who have a proven track record of success in assisting clients in the sale of their homes.

Looking at market statistics on the typical time to sell, the typical percentage of asking price realised, or, most simply, the reviews posted by prior sellers, are the best ways to determine this.

Reacting rather than taking action

In order to minimise delays in the process, sellers must be proactive and efficient themselves, just as they depend on their agents and conveyancers to be. As a result, it’s crucial to be available whenever documentation needs to be completed and to always make sure to deliver it on time.

It’s a good idea to check in once a week to make sure everything is still on track in order to be attentive about making sure hired professionals are shifting their weight. Additionally, sellers shouldn’t decide to take a vacation in the middle of the procedure for the benefit of everyone involved.

An emotional bond

An emotional connection to a piece of land is crucial. A home is created by doing this. However, sellers are encouraged to free themselves from this emotional grip when it comes to selling.

It’s easier said than done, but it’s essential because, in order to minimise selling delays, one must act more rationally than emotionally. An emotional relationship may cause you to assign the house an inflated value, which could cause it to languish on the market for several months with little interest. Furthermore, feelings might make sellers fussy about who they choose to buy the house from, which can slow down the sales process.

Missing documents

Many sellers discover missing documentation after the fact, often when it is already too late. For a quick sale, being able to offer things like gas certificates may be required. It’s crucial for sellers to clarify with their conveyancer exactly which documents they will need to submit when getting ready to sell so that, in the event that they are missing, the conveyancer can begin proactively looking for fresh copies.

Ambitious growth strategy for London dental group

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Banning Dental Group will open five new London clinics as part of its ambitious plans.

A new 5,000 sq ft flagship site will be set up in London’s Blackfriars, while more branches in Canning Town, Leighton Buzzard, Lewisham and Chelmsford are also set to open this year. 

The capacity of its clinic in Kent will now allow double the number of patients to access advanced dental care. 

Welcome to new patients

Dr Azad Eyrumlu, co-founder of Banning Dental Group, is excited to welcome guests into the new locations, which will bring the firm’s total number of clinics to ten.

He said: “A huge amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to get our five new clinics ready and we can’t wait to finally be able to welcome patients through the doors.

“The Blackfriars clinic will become our flagship clinic and it will be a key milestone in the history of Banning Dental Group.

“From day one we have wanted to bring affordable, world-class treatment to private patients and we want to make this as accessible to as many people as possible. 

Growing pressure on NHS

“With growing financial pressure on the NHS and patients’ private finances, we believe our model of affordability and bridging the gap between NHS and expensive private dental work is much-needed. 

“Our patients are at the heart of everything we do and we firmly believe our new clinics will bring a new dimension to dentistry standards in London, Essex and Bedfordshire.”

The group was established by specialists Dr Azad Eyrumlu and Dr Honar Shakir to offer affordable treatment to private patients after noticing a chronic shortage of accessible dental care and the lack of quality dental care to meet today’s patients’ needs. 

Range of services

It offers a range of services including regular check-ups, oral surgery, implants, teeth whitening, smile makeovers, regular and Invisalign braces and same-day emergency appointments. 

Banning currently has five clinics across the South East with a team of highly-trained and experienced dentists and technicians in locations such as Harley Street, Brentford, Chiswick, Lewisham and Whitstable.

Its ambitious plans to double the number of clinics this year are part of an ongoing mission to bring world-class and affordable dental care to people who may have previously found private dental care out of their reach.

Each will hold between four and 10 treatment chairs and will be open seven days a week and the new clinics will employ more than 60 new members of staff.

Employment experts reveal missing link to improving gig economy

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With more Brits turning to short-term work, experts have revealed how to improve the effectiveness of the gig economy.

Recent figures show 4.4 million adults in the UK now either fully earn or bump up their income with ‘side hustles’.

But the system of securing jobs, getting paid the correct amount and companies verifying worker IDs still has room for improvement.

Alok Alstrom from gig economy platform AppJobs has revealed the steps that should be taken to make it more efficient.

Steps to efficiency

He said: “The growth of the gig economy over the past five years has been incredible, especially since the emergence of Covid.

“The pandemic impacted people’s lives to the extent that many left a traditional job and moved into the gig economy, which was a choice for some but a necessity to others.

“But that rapid growth has led to some areas where developments have not kept pace with the reality of working in the sector.

“Full-time company workers take things such as easy-to-access tax and wages information, and ID verification, for granted.

“But time and again we hear that these are the factors that make working in gig economy roles difficult, and even prevent some people benefiting from the freedom such a lifestyle choice should give them.”

Gig economy jobs

Gig economy jobs can range from anything such as food and package delivery to taxis and flatpack furniture assembly.

They have been hailed in some quarters as the future of employment – giving people greater flexibility in when and where they work, and the tasks they carry out to earn money.

But there are downsides to this, as outlined by Mr Alstrom.

He said: “The current system sometimes lacks a transparency that allows workers to navigate life with the ease they should be able to.

“Some of the main ones are where it comes to accessing credit by having a recorded earnings history that can then be presented to mortgage companies, for example, in order to buy a property.

Better ID verification needed

“ID verification is also a major problem – on both sides of the working relationship. There have been numerous occasions where fraudulent emails or messages have been sent to gig workers, scamming them out of money by unscrupulous individuals.

“Meanwhile, companies who use gig workers often struggle to complete identification checks efficiently, which slows the whole system down.

“Other factors include gig workers not having clear and accessible records of where they have worked and what they have earned in the past, to give them suitable information to present to financial institutions or future employers.”

Recent research, commissioned by the TUC union, found that 15 per cent of UK workers are paid by gig economy platforms such as Uber, Deliveroo and Amazon Flex. This has risen by three per cent since the start of the Covid pandemic.

AppJobs is one of the UK’s leading jobs platforms, matching applicants to flexible gig economy roles with companies such as Doordash and JustEat.

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