Licensed conveyancers have moved a step closer to having to display their fees and indicative timescales upfront.

Industry regulator the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) had launched a consultation earlier this year on boosting transparency in the sector and has now applied to the Legal Services Board to let it introduce a raft of changes.

CLC practices will be required to make cost information, including whether they have referral arrangements, readily accessible on their website and in alternative formats on request.

They will also have to disclose the services they provide, key stages in the delivery of them and indicative timescales.

The CLC said it will be up to firms to decide how they display this information but it will publish best practice guidance along with cost estimate templates.

Subject to approval by the Legal Services Board, these rules could be in place by the end of the year.

Sheila Kumar, chief executive of the CLC, said: “Under our existing rules, the firms we license already have to provide clear cost information to clients. These changes mean that consumer will have access to information before they decide who to use, so giving them additional and clearer information upon which to base their decision.

“Providing clear information to customers makes good business sense. CLC-licensed firms should see the changes as providing them with new opportunities to create a competitive advantage as they focus on service and quality.

“The rules set out what firms have to do, but all CLC licensed firms are different, so they will be free to comply with the rules in the way that best suits their business and their clients.

“These rule changes implement recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority and all legal sector regulators are introducing a similar approach to ensure consistency across all regulated sectors.”