The Law Society has awarded Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation to the 1,000th firm to enter the scheme.

Less than a year after applications opened, nine-partner Coventry firm Penmans today became the 1,000th accredited CQS firm, bringing the total number of law firm branches with the CQS mark in England and Wales to 1,548. Applications are outstanding from a further 579 firms.

Law Society president John Wotton said: ‘Reaching 1,000 in less than a year is a milestone that far exceeds our expectations, but CQS is not just about numbers. It is about setting the bar for conveyancing, rebuilding confidence among lenders and making it easier for homebuyers to identify genuine quality when buying or selling a property.

‘Recent developments elsewhere in the conveyancing market show that the Law Society is leading the way and that others are now following.’

The 1,000th CQS accreditation coincides with a YouGov survey, conducted on behalf of insurer First Title, which shows that consumers are generally happy with the service they receive from conveyancing solicitors, but were cautious about buying the service from big brands.

Wotton said: ‘Consumers clearly attach value to the services that a smaller firm such as Penmans provides.’