How we keep our clients’ money safe
At Couchman Hanson, part of how we look after our customers is by looking after their money. Let’s find out more.
When you choose Couchman Hanson as your solicitors, whether it’s for a property transaction, divorce, employment dispute or anything else, you can be sure that we’ll always put you first. One of the ways we do this is by taking care of your money in accordance with the strictest regulations.
In this article, we’ll talk about how we look after your money and keep it safe while we work for you.
Meet Karen
Karen Marsh is the Financial Manager in our Accounts Department. Karen is responsible for handling all the finances at Couchman Hanson. She works behind the scenes, making and receiving payments in and out of our client bank account. Her focus is always on keeping our clients’ money safe.
At a law firm like Couchman Hanson, there are a lot of financial transactions involved. Property conveyancing is full of transactions, when money travels between buyers, sellers and their respective banks or mortgage providers. Sometimes there are funds left over that have to go back to the seller. Karen and the Accounts Department make sure it all runs smoothly and safely.
Karen is also responsible for ensuring we comply with all the necessary regulations (more about that later). But how does she do it?
Trust us to keep your money safe
There are three main ways that Karen keeps our client’s money safe while we look after it.
Firstly, we have a separate bank account for our clients’ money, which is never mixed with other company money. If someone needs to take money out of a client’s funds, the request can only come via one of our solicitors.
Next, Karen keeps meticulous records, including daily reconciliation. That way, she can tell exactly which clients have money in our account and how much they have in there. Then, each month, a COFA (Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration) will carry out an independent check.
Finally, Karen ensures we adhere to (and even exceed) the strictest financial regulations.
Regulations
As a law firm handling clients’ money, we comply with several different regulations, all with their own initials, including:
SRA – The Solicitors Regulation Authority
HMRC – Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
Our Property Department also has accreditation with the Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
At Couchman Hanson, we like regulations! We think that being able to comply with the strictest financial standards shows that we genuinely care about our clients and that they can trust us to act in their best interests.
Happy customers
We think the way we look after our clients’ money is one of the reasons are customers rate us so highly and recommend us to their friends.
There’s a great site called ReviewSolicitors that’s like TripAdvisor for solicitors. Customers (happy or dissatisfied) leave reviews of their experience to help you choose who to go with.
Currently, Couchman Hanson has 57 client reviews on ReviewSolicitors with an average rating of 5 out of 5. Here are some of the great things our customers have said about us:
‘I was incredibly impressed by the expertise I received. Highly attentive, professional, understanding, and committed to achieving the desired outcome. I would recommend to others in a heartbeat.’
‘Emily is an extremely efficient and professional solicitor. She shows great empathy and is a very trusted advisor. She has the ability to keep the situation calm, explaining every step. She would always contact when agreed and was very prepared. Her personal approach aided and guided me through an emotional time and I couldn’t have managed without her.’
‘During our recent house purchase, Helen was indispensable in helping to calmly and professionally help at all stages of our purchase and sale. She was proactive and responsive and made the process speedy and efficient for us. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her conveyancing services.’
Find out more from Couchman Hanson
At Couchman Hanson, our solicitors genuinely care about getting the best outcome for you. We’re highly professional, with ‘city-level’ talent and experience, but also friendly and welcoming. Everything we do fits with our values of integrity, honesty and authenticity.
Call 01428 774756 or visit couchmanhanson.co.uk