SRA ‘proud of AML progress’ ahead of FCA handover, as annual report reveals a third of assessed firms were non-compliant
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has released its Anti-Money Laundering Annual Report for 2024-25, a year in which the organisation says it made significant progress in preventing and detecting money laundering. With the government recently announcing the responsibility for overseeing anti-money laundering regulations will pass to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the SRA’s chief executive […]
Confidence in property market slumps amid budget uncertainty, CLC finds
Research from the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) reveals confidence in the housing market has fallen to its lowest level this year, which it says is triggered by uncertainty over the impending autumn budget. Three quarters of respondents to the CLC’s quarterly survey, launched at the start of this year to monitor the mood of […]
Standalone litigation rights for CILEx lawyers after fast-tracked application approved
CILEx regulated lawyers will be able to apply for standalone litigation practice rights in the areas of criminal, civil and family litigation after the Legal Services Board (LSB) approved CILEx Regulation’s (CRL) application. Although work to introduce a standalone practice right for litigation began earlier this year, the issue has been brought to a head […]
Conveyancing task force urges local law societies to take action over homebuying reform
The Conveyancing Task Force (CTF), formed last month in response to the government’s proposals for homebuying reform, has written to local societies in England and Wales asking them to take urgent action over the plans. The CTF – a collaboration of 23 law firms including SMEs and a public limited company, as well as individuals […]
Why Queries with Lenders (PVQs) are stalling completions, and how to break the cycle
PVQs are part and parcel of property transactions, but the way they’re handled today is one of the quietest causes of delay in the offer-to-completion journey. This is particularly topical, given the recent Santander report which labelled the home-buying process as “antiquated” and that more than half a million failed transactions per year are costing […]
Land registration: Practice guides (PG1)
First registrations (PG1) Page summary: Guidance for conveyancers on how to register unregistered estates in land for the first time (practice guide 1). Change made: Section 5.1 has been amended to clarify that the applicant should be in occupation of the land. Time updated: 6:00am, 3 November 2025