SRA tightens its grip: AML enforcement intensifies further in 2026
As the UK legal sector navigates an increasingly scrutinised regulatory landscape, 2026 marks a decisive escalation in the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)’s anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement agenda. With record fines, wider proactive inspections, and the imminent transfer of professional supervision to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), law firms are facing the most demanding compliance environment […]
Council ordered to pay developer’s full costs after refusing 17-home scheme despite housing land supply shortfall
A planning inspector has ordered Wiltshire Council to pay a developer’s full appeal costs after determining that councillors acted ‘unreasonably’ in refusing a small housing scheme that officers had recommended for approval. The proposal involved building 17 homes on part of a former police station site in Chippenham. Inspector Hollie Nicholls concluded that the authority’s […]
SRA seeks 29% funding increase ‘to move from reactive to proactive regulation’
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has proposed a £50 increase in individual practising fees, taking the annual fee to £240. Compensation fund contributions are expected to be set at £120 for an individual solicitor and £3,600 for an SRA-regulated firm. Individual combined fees, which cover the practising certificate fee and compensation fund contribution, would rise […]
LSB calls for ‘urgent and immediate’ action from SRA, as it orders external audit of regulator’s compliance
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has summoned the Solicitors Regulation Authority to an in-person meeting before the end of May to seek assurance that it has the necessary expertise and oversight approach to deliver the urgent reform needed to address the challenges and complexities in the legal sector. The regulator has also been ordered to […]
Property market cooling is ‘short term’ – Halifax
A cooling of the property market is anticipated “in the short term” according to the latest house price data from Halifax, which shows little movement in average property prices. Price are down by 0.1% in April compared to the previous month, but the “underlying picture remains one of relative stability,” Halifax head of mortgages Amanda […]
Conveyancing Association backs Select Committee recommendations for upfront information and estate agent regulation
The Conveyancing Association (CA) has backed recommendations made by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee aimed at improving the home buying and selling process, including upfront property information and stronger regulation of estate agents. According to the trade body, most of the committee’s recommendations reflect long-standing industry concerns around delays, failed transactions and […]
No clear date for Bracknell Forest search issue resolution
Local authority searches from Bracknell Forest Council remain unavailable after an issue with the transfer of data to a new system supplier. In an email update shared on Friday, the council wrote: “We’re continuing to work with Arcus and external data experts to find a solution to the ongoing land charges ICT issue. Unfortunately, we […]
Rising costs add £76,000 to new homes, HBF report finds
New research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) reveals £76,000 has been added to the cost of building a home since 2020, which the organisation says raises serious concerns about the viability of new housing developments across the UK. The report, The Viability Crunch, examines the cumulative impact of policy, taxation and regulatory pressures on […]
Making legal technology work harder for law firms
Are law firms making the most of their technology investment? Most businesses only use a fraction of the capability of their existing technology, underestimating what platforms such as Microsoft 365 or their case management systems can already do. As a result, firms often purchase overlapping software that performs similar functions, increasing cost and complexity without […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – At what cost?
I read this week that the cost of practising certificates is set to increase. It seems to me that it is costing more and more to be a solicitor, especially within a conveyancing firm. And I am sure it would surprise clients to know how much has to be paid before we can even open […]