Journalist and managing editor of the Today’s Media publications: Today’s Conveyancer, Today’s Family Lawyer and Today’s Wills and Probate
HMRC’s May transaction data suggests last month’s optimism in the face of a steep decline was justified, with the seasonally adjusted figures showing a 25% rise since April. But while the news has been welcomed
Zoopla’s latest report on the state of the housing market reveals sales activity is running at its fastest rate for four years, with a 6% increase in sales agreed for the month compared to the
The government has acknowledged Anti Money Laundering (AML) regulations ‘are seen as a major burden’ to professional business service firms, and has pledged to reform the controversial rules by the end of the year. Writing
Civil servants working for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will start indefinite industrial action today, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced. PCS members in 21 offices around the
A post-completion assistant at a Lancashire law firm has been barred from working for a legal firm without the permission of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after faking signatures on a TR1 form. Gemma Stanton,
The 2024 to 2025 housebuilding statistics published by Homes England reveal a 12% increase in completed houses and a 5% increase in new starts, compared to the same period the previous year. Housing programmes delivered
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been scrutinised in the House of Lords for the second time, with many speakers welcoming reform but others outlining ‘serious concerns’ and calling the bill ‘an affront to democracy’.
Research from Savill’s has found that changes to planning policy are sending ‘clear signals’ through the appeals process, with planning officers embracing the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and successful appeals reaching their highest
The Law Society of England and Wales has published recommendations from its 21st Century Justice project, which it says offer a powerful vision for change to help narrow the justice gap. Research by the society
The Financial Conduct Authority has shared a discussion paper on the future of the mortgage market and is seeking a public conversation with experts and consumers on potential updates to lending rules. First-time buyers, the
Simplified planning appeal procedures will be rolled out to the majority of planning appeals decided via written representations by the end of 2025, the government has announced, as it shares guidance related to the changes.
A ‘reverse mentoring’ toolkit developed by LawCare and the University of Leeds aims to help law firms and legal organisations become more inclusive, supportive and fair places to work. The term refers to junior employees
Research from global residential property agents Knight Frank suggests changes to non-dom status in March last year have cost the government £401 million in lost stamp duty revenue. The analysis revealed that the number of
A new Property Information Form (TA6) being trialled by a working group of conveyancers will cause confusion and create delays, a solicitor has warned. The new form is being designed to give buyers more information
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has shared advice on how to stay compliant with AML regulations, and warns that enforcement action is set to increase over the coming year. In a webinar held last month,
Law Society research held to mark 200 years of the organisation has found strong support for the legal industry in London, with confidence in many areas of practice more pronounced in the capital than the
The government has confirmed its commitment to supporting and investing in the legal sector, laying out its plans in the 10-year Modern Industrial Strategy shared yesterday. In a statement to Parliament, the secretary of state
Matthew Pennycook has shared further information about the National Housing Bank, which he says will give Homes England greater autonomy and freedom to flexibly deploy loans, equity and guarantees in support of housing development. In
The Solicitors Regulation Authority continues its crackdown on AML breaches, with announcements that five firms have been fined a total of £118,000 for not following money laundering rules. The largest fine was handed to T
Graham Cope, former Redrow PLC group legal director and executive board member, has been appointed as a director by PLS Solicitors. With a career spanning legal, compliance and commercial operations, Cope has a deep understanding
New research from the Legal Services Board (LSB) reveals the price of legal services is rising, but the transparency of the prices offered is improving and consumers are benefitting from more services being made available
The government has shared details of its new mortgage guarantee scheme, which is set to be launched in July. Mortgages offered through the scheme will enable eligible first-time buyers and home movers to buy a
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has welcomed the 10-year infrastructure strategy announced by the government, as more details of the plan were shared by chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones. Speaking in
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has held the base rate at 4.25%, citing consumer price inflation remaining in line with expectations and ongoing global uncertainty as reasons for deciding against a further 0.25%
Propertymark’s latest housing insight report reveals a ‘welcome drop’ in housing transactions that take over 17 weeks, with just 32% of the agents surveyed reporting transactions that pass the 17 week mark. The report, which
An analysis of HM Land Registry data by Search Acumen reveals there was a 4% drop in the number of active property law firms in the financial year 2024/25, which the legal and property tech
Today’s Media spoke to Amanda Hamilton, director and patron of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), about the evolving role of the paralegal and NALP’s role in the profession’s voluntary self-regulation. A recent survey
UK annual house price inflation slowed in April, for the first time since December 2023. Average UK house prices increased by 3.5% in the 12 months to April 2025 – down from 7.0% in the
Consumer price inflation (CPI) remains broadly steady, rising by 3.4% in the 12 months to May 2025, compared to 3.5% in the 12 months to April. The consumer price index including owner occupiers’ housing costs
The Law Society of England and Wales has announced that it supports the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) reprioritisation of work and the emphasis placed on investing in its core functions in the 2025-2026 business plan
New analysis from Rightmove shows that the number of homes for sale priced at £1 million or more has doubled (+103%) across Great Britain over the last six years. Just over 5% of homes for
The government has revealed details of a new National Housing Bank, a permanent institution that will ‘give the housing sector the certainty, flexibility and the capacity’ to deliver 500,000 new homes. Publicly owned and designated