Five hundred law firms have now secured accreditation to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), the Society said today.

Essex firm Todmans SRE was the latest to receive the CQS mark of excellence in residential conveyancing practice.

Since CQS launched at the beginning of the year, the Law Society has received 1,229 applications from solicitors’ firms seeking to join the scheme. It had envisaged an end-of-year target of 600 firms, but is likely to exceed that number.

The accreditation process includes assessment, training and random audits, and will require annual reviews to maintain CQS status.

Todmans SRE partner William Todman said: 'For the first time, [CQS] gives people a way to distinguish between the many firms providing conveyancing services. It enables them to choose a firm that will give them excellent advice and good value for money in making the important decision to buy or sell a house or flat.'

Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson said: ‘We are seeing applications to join the scheme rising on a daily basis. Reaching this milestone by the end of August illustrates how quickly CQS has become a feature on the home-buying landscape.

‘There have been encouraging signs of support for the scheme from the mortgage lending industry, as well as the insurance industry, but most encouraging of all is the recognition from the public of the scheme. We have strong statistical evidence from our current marketing campaign to show the public is actively seeking out CQS firms.’

The Society said the CQS has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Land Registry, the Building Societies Association, the Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers.