Essex-based law firm Birkett Long has secured membership of the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).

The Law Society scheme, which involves indpendent assessment, varifies that firms meet high standards in the residential conveyancing process.

Birkett Long, which has offices in Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon, has more than 50 years of experience in residential conveyancing and deals with more than 1,000 property transactions each year.

Kurt Goddard, partner and head of the real estate department at Birkett Long, said: “We are very pleased to have secured CQS status. Buying and selling a home can be a stressful time so choosing a firm that is recognised by the CQS status ensures that consumers receive a reliable and efficient service from a firm that has proved its commitment to quality.

“Birkett Long is a full service law firm which means that we are also able to call upon the skills of our colleagues specialising in planning, financial services, rural business, property litigation and tax planning to provide the complete residential property package.”

The CQS scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status.

It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers.

Law Society president Lucy Scott-Moncrieff said that the Law Society had introduced CQS to promote high standards in the home buying process.

She said: “CQS has established itself as the quality mark of the home-buying sector and enables consumers to identify practices that provide a quality residential conveyancing service.

“With so many different conveyancing service providers out there CQS helps home-buyers and sellers seek out those that can provide a safe and efficient level of service.”