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CLC Licence Holders Survey: Referral Arrangements

The CLC is undertaking a thematic review of referral arrangements and how they operate in practice across the conveyancing sector. As part of this review, we want to understand how referral arrangements are currently used in practice and to gather information to help inform our final report.

We have recently published our interim findings, and your input at this stage is invaluable in shaping our conclusions and subsequent recommendations.

This survey is structured to three parts. Part one asks questions about your use and experience of referral arrangements. Part two asks for your views on CLC's current guidance on Disclosure and Profits Advantages Code. Part three asks for your views on the recommendations in our interim report.

How we use your data:
This survey is anonymous - your individual responses will not be identified to the CLC or externally. We may however refer to anonymised quotes in our final report. The data will be used solely for the purposes of this thematic review and will be handled in accordance with the CLC's privacy policy.

Key Information


We would encourage all CLC licence holders to engage with this survey. Your practical experience and insights are essential to ensuring our review reflects the realities of referral arrangements in the profession and help shape our work on delivering the regulatory objectives.

Thank you for taking the time to participate.
1.What type of legal services provider do you primarily work for?
PART ONE: Your Experience of Referral Arrangements

In this section we are asking about your experience of working with referral arrangements and how they operate in your practice. You may think some of the following questions are not relevant to your current role, however please do answer them all as it is helpful to gauge the levels of awareness amongst CLC Lawyers, irrespective of the position you hold.
2.Who does the practice you work for have referral arrangements with? (Select all that apply).(Required.)
3.What factors do your practice consider when deciding whether to work with an Introducer? (E.g. Cost, Reputation). Please state all that apply.
4.What process does your practice follow when selecting and approving an arrangement with an Introducer?
5.Who in your practice has responsibility for approving and renewing referral arrangements? Please select all that apply.
6.When and how do you tell a prospective client that a referral fee has been paid or may be paid? (Please select all that apply).
7.How do you balance and prioritise workflow capacity when you have referral arrangements, (for example, does the practice have a policy that clients from referrers are prioritised)?
8.What safeguards does your practice have in place to ensure referral arrangements do not compromise professional independence, a client's best interests, or freedom of choice?
9.In your current or previous employment, have you ever identified circumstances where a referral arrangement created a conflict of interest or a risk to acting in the client's best interests?
10.Has your Practice ever withdrawn from a referral arrangement?
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