UK HPI offers ‘encouraging signs’ for housing market
Average UK house prices increased by 1.4% in the 12 months to July 2026, up from the revised estimate of 1.5% in the 12 months to June 2026, according to the latest UK House Price Index from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, average house prices in the UK increased […]
New study gives insight into public use of AI chatbots during legal disputes
A legal charity has said there is a “potential role” for AI tools in meeting the needs of the justice system, following a survey which found one in six participants facing a legal dispute used a generative AI chatbot. Research led by legal reform charity Justice examined how AI is affecting the current justice system […]
Figures show ‘substantial increase’ in homes hitting market since schools returned
Research shows a “substantial increase” in homes hitting the market across England since pupils returned to school in September, with more than 50,000 listed. Figures released by estate agency Yopa found that on 31 August, 331,255 homes had been put on the market across England. Just two weeks later, on 14 September, an additional 54,310 […]
Flats depreciating and ‘complex’ conveyancing rising amid leasehold worries, analysis suggests
An analysis of HM Land Registry data has revealed the “stark divide” between the value of leasehold flats and freehold houses, with flat values depreciating while freehold houses have experienced steady price rises. Figures sourced from HMLR and analysed by SAM Conveyancing reveal that flats and maisonettes are the only property type in the UK […]
Firm news: growth and expansion
Cheshire law firm Rowlinsons Solicitors has officially opened its new office in Knutsford, expanding the firm’s reach with legal services including residential and commercial property, family law and private client matters. The expansion follows Rowlinsons’ recent success at the British Conveyancing Awards 2026, where it was named Conveyancing Firm of the Year North. The company’s […]
From duties to design: the one thing that makes AI use governable
In the third of a series on safely adopting AI, Ed Molyneux turns a firm’s obligations into an actual design, a single controlled route to client data, and explains why a bolt-on guardrail can never be the safeguard it claims to be. The duties this series has set out amount to a short specification: […]