Inspector approves 290 home scheme after council found to have less than three year housing supply
A planning inspector has granted permission for a 290 home development on agricultural land in Buckinghamshire after concluding that the local authority could demonstrate less than half of its required five year housing land supply. The appeal concerned proposals by land promoter Richborough for residential development south of Drayton Road in Bletchley, close to the […]
Is your client data accurate?
The arrival of the updated TA6 property information form on 30 March 2026 is as good an excuse as any to review how and from where you’re collecting client identity data—and how you’re confirming it’s accurate. The updated form introduces a more detailed set of seller disclosure requirements designed to capture better data at the […]
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Obtaining vacant possession in a new age
Webinar: The Renters’ Rights Act 2025: Obtaining Vacant Possession in a New Age Date: Tuesday 28 April Time: 2pm Link to join: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6238608539583870300 This primarily applies in England. The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, with changes to assured tenancies coming into force on 1 May 2026. It represents the most significant reform […]
Compass achieves Cyber Essentials accreditation
Compass has been awarded the Cyber Essentials accreditation, the UK government-backed certification that verifies an organisation’s defences against the most common cyber threats. The accreditation, overseen by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), requires independently verified controls across five core areas: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection, and security update management. For Compass, […]
Rightmove calls for stamp duty reforms, as first time buyers pay £4,618 more since relief ended
First-time buyers are paying an average of £4,618 more in stamp duty since the £425,000 threshold was removed last year, according to figures from Rightmove. The property portal is calling on the government to consider reforms to the property tax, as the figures reveal an extra £307 million has been collected from first time buyers […]
LeO receives 6.1% budget increase to tackle ‘staggering’ increase in complaints
The Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) has published its 2026-27 Business Plan & Budget for the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), which includes a strong emphasis on preventing complaints from arising and reducing unnecessary escalation. Complaints have risen almost 30% year-on-year and the LeO expects to receive 7,675 new complaints in 2026-27, representing a 174% increase since 2019-20. The level […]
Positive BoE lender survey misleading, experts warn, as ‘ongoing turmoil spooks big banks’
Lenders expect mortgage demand to increase over the coming months, according to the Bank of England’s latest Credit Conditions Survey – but experts warn attitudes have shifted since the survey was carried out earlier this year, amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. Demand for secured lending for house purchase was unchanged in Q1, with figures covering the […]
‘Housing market has lost some momentum’ – Halifax
The latest house price data from Halifax suggests the housing market has lost momentum as spring begins. The pace of annual growth has eased to 0.8% from 1.2% the previous month, which Halifax head of mortgages Amanda Bryden says reflects wider uncertainty regarding the conflict in the Middle East. She explained: “Concerns about higher energy […]
RICS reports slowdown of UK housing market as ongoing Middle East conflict raises borrowing costs
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Residential Survey for March 2026 found the market losing momentum as rising borrowing costs and wider geopolitical uncertainty weighed heavily on buyer confidence and sales activity. New buyer enquiries fell to a net balance of -39%, down from -29% in February, marking the weakest reading since August […]
100% mortgages on the rise as buyers struggle with affordability
Sales of 100% mortgages hit a five-year high last year, an analysis of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) data by Compare the Market has found. The comparison site warns the rise indicates buyers are increasingly struggling with affordability. In the first three quarters of 2025 (January to September) sales of no-deposit mortgages reached 574, compared with […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – When a slap on the wrist is a slap in the face
I am proud to be a solicitor. I am regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and I have never thought about moving over to regulation by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. However, from what I have read this week, it seems to do so would make my life easier. I have written before about all […]