HMLR consults on fees and future access to data
HM Land Registry has launched two consultations on fees and access to its data as part of efforts to “increase the public value of [the agency’s] data and improve access to land ownership information”. Open from now until 22nd December 2026, the consultations seeks views on a simplified approach to Scale Two fees, a transfer […]
Equity release lending ‘resilient’ but down on 12 months ago
The equity release market remains broadly stable with negligible changes to lending and customer numbers compared with the previous quarter. But, reported the Equity Release Council (ERC) in its latest quarterly figures, lending was down 7% year on year. The figures suggest the equity release market is showing “resilience” said John Godfrey, chair of the […]
LMS the latest to introduce qualified electronic signatures as HMLR says it supports wider adoption
Lender panel intermediary Legal Marketing Services (LMS) has announced it has partnered with technology provider Veyco to enable the digital signing of mortgage deeds through Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES). While the use of QES is still in its infancy HM Land Registry (HMLR) supports its use as part of its ongoing digital transformation, confirming it […]
Firms pay penalties of £44,800 in latest round of AML sanctions
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has shared details of penalties totalling £44,800 for breaches of anti-money laundering regulations, in decisions published since our last round-up in August. Moss Solicitors LLP received the highest financial penalty of £18,738 following a desk-based review (DBR) which identified failures to regularly review, update and maintain appropriate and risk-sensitive policies, controls and procedures (PCPs), to […]
New proposals will help leaseholders at risk of high bills to fix building safety defects
Angela Rayner has announced new proposals to help more leaseholders at risk of high bills to fix serious building and fire safety defects. Proposals unveiled during the second reading of the Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill included plans to recover the cost of remediation from cladding manufacturers, and raising the limit of the number of […]
Profile: Ben Mills, chief commercial officer at Law Firm Services
Ben Mills is chief commercial officer at Law Firm Services, home of Minerva. He has more than two decades of experience in legal technology, spanning sales, leadership and product innovation. Before joining Law Firm Services and helping to launch Minerva in 2020, Ben spent 13 years at BigHand, ultimately serving as Managing Director of the […]
Your First Home must learn the right lessons from Help to Buy
I know what it looks like when a government housing scheme genuinely changes someone’s life. I spent five years delivering Help to Buy at Homes England. I saw first-hand what happened when people who thought homeownership was out of reach were suddenly given a means to taking their first step onto the housing ladder, and […]