Simplify Group’s conveyancing brands, including Simplify, Move with Us, My Home Move Conveyancing and Premier Property Lawyers, DC Law, and JS Law, have all suffered what has been described by one estate agent as a “cyber-attack”.
The related conveyancing brands have been hit with major IT problems, with all their websites down at the moment.
EYE was informed of the problem by a concerned agent yesterday who was unable to access the Simplify website which has now been offline for almost 48 hours.
The agent said: “Numerous clients have had completions fail over the last 48 hours.”
Several other agents have since contacted this publication to express their concerns.
The holding message on the Simplify website states:
IMPORTANT NOTICE
We are aware and are working to resolve an ongoing systems outage. This involves multiple systems across our business including eWay and ieWay.
We are working non-stop to restore systems and we recognise this could be a difficult time for clients. Our priority is to help customers exchange/complete on time. If you are a customer affected by this outage please click here, this will help us prioritise contact. We are doing all we can. Thank you for your patience.
We regret we are not operating as normal. Further updates to follow.
This has the potential to disrupt not only the transactions being dealt with directly by the Simplify brands but also the transactions in any chain they are involved in. At the time of posting this comment we are waiting to receive an official update from Simplify, and possibly a comment from their regulator, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.
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Ouch!
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I hope it’s a technical issue rather than a ransomeware attack. I really feel for all affected.
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But we are always being told technology is the future in Conveyancing?
Hmmm
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All of the above, used by Purplebricks, hmmmmmm???
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Might open some consumers eyes to the fact these multiple shoddy firms, that get their referrals from multiple shoddy agencies, are all under the same umbrella company.
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The CLC was made aware of this issue by Simplify on Monday and we are monitoring the situation in close contact with the business. We have posted guidance for clients on our website: https://www.clc-uk.org/simplify-group-system-outages/
Stephen Ward, Council for Licensed Conveyancers
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From Simplify:
“Following the security incident Simplify experienced involving some IT systems, we have been working around the clock to resolve the issue and are pleased to confirm we have made significant progress.
We have now restored systems sufficiently to be able to process payments to enable clients to move. We have been working through the night on the backlog and over the coming hours will continue to proactively contact clients who are scheduled to complete.
We will provide further updates as we continue to make positive progress.
Thank you for your ongoing support.”
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Will anyone notice any difference in the service they offer ?
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An Agent I work with just told me that on the quiet a possible timescale of two to three weeks is being quoted for them being “back to normal”. I am not sure they will want any publicity over this given the possible ramifications for them but if that timescale is correct they need to be transparent for the sake of all their clients and the profession as a whole.
This is definitely something that needs to be out there in the public domain for discussion given the consequences to many people unwittingly caught up in the chaos.
Surprised the Conveyancing Association have not released a press briefing by now?
And it isn’t it also remarkably quiet from the property tech brigade, whose argument that more technology in Conveyancing is the answer has just been destroyed.
No time for schadenfreude now however whilst innocent clients are suffering. But when the dust settles a full inquest needs to be held with some serious questions asked about how these factories exist (if at all) in the future.
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Response just received from lawyer who has JS Law on the other side ” reports currently are that it will be between a few days and a couple of weeks until they are full back up and running.”, this is on a deal whereby completion is agreed and release to exchange should have happened yesterday! No apology to those sellers / buyers in the chain that their removal plans shot up up in smoke, not to mention financial loss. This issue has been in play since Monday, I sincerely hope that the law firms involved are throwing everything and the kitchen sink into resolving this. Of course its a real shame for those sellers / buyers who have contracted and will find themselves in breach of contract through no fault of their own when they fail to complete (not forgetting other law firms with Simplify Brands involved in their sales chains). Buyers and sellers that have been failed by their lawyers can expect compensation claims and the whole conveyancing lawyer space will could well feel the pain as PI increases (already in some cases beyond viable levels), especially if this lasts for any length of time. The negative PR fall out will do conveyancing boiler houses zero benefit as bad news travels fast and those estate agency corporates and large independents will know doubt have to consider their own risk in supporting such operations. One has to wonder about disaster recovery planning, data backup & recovery…..a lot of glum faces and embarrassment around boardroom tables…..Bottom line….Simplify needs to get back on its feet….and fast….before the ramifications of this sorry state of affairs has far wider repercussions…
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