Journalist and managing editor of the Today’s Media publications: Today’s Conveyancer, Today’s Family Lawyer and Today’s Wills and Probate
A rule that lets second home owners avoid paying council tax if they rent their properties out for just 10 weeks a year is costing central and local government an annual £334 million in revenue,
Remortgage instructions decreased by 12% last month, after a 23% rise in March, with half of all April borrowers opting for a five-year fixed rate deal ‘to shield themselves from potential volatility’. The April Monthly
The Movera group has announced senior hires in two of its UK companies and is searching for experienced conveyancers to join a fast-growing team in Cardiff. ONP Solicitors has appointed Amy Colton as senior operations
A new networking group aimed at forging ‘high-value’ connections amongst legal professionals has been launched by Consortium director Lara Squires. The marketing company director has created The Professionals Network to address what she says is
Market activity is ‘holding up well’ following stamp duty changes, according to Nationwide’s chief economist, with industry leaders welcoming continued signs of resilience. Commenting on the release of the building society’s monthly house price index,
A cross-sector initiative of housing groups, banks, building societies and other official bodies has launched an official code to standardise best practice and consumer protection for shared ownership in England. The Shared Ownership Code, released
Searches of the index of proprietors’ names (PG74) Page summary: Find out who can search against the name of an owner of land or registered mortgages and how to do it (practice guide 74). Change
Property industry experts continue to be optimistic about the housing market, despite the latest UK monthly property transaction data showing a steep decline. HMRC’s non-seasonally adjusted residential transactions decreased by 66% in April 2025 relative
Research from conveyancing software provider Smoove has revealed that just under two thirds of people who bought a home in the last year experienced unexpected costs, with over a quarter saying it was the most
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has set out its expectations for service providers when dealing with third-party delays, which stress the importance of effective communication. The LeO says almost half of the complaints it receives are
The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the government’s decision to partially fund level 7 apprenticeships for young people aged 16-21, but said providing opportunities for those aged over 21 is ‘critical’ to
The homebuying process, stamp duty rates and the leasehold system have all been cited as ‘major housing concerns’, according to new research by the HomeOwners Alliance. The organisation, which has been tracking UK housing concerns
The average UK first-time buyer is 34 with a salary of £35,900 and deposit of £24,500, according to new research from the Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB). First-time buyers made up 67% of all borrowers who
A partnership between the Crown Estate and Lendlease worth £24 billion will help create 26,000 new homes and ‘vast’ new office space and labs, the government has announced. As well as delivering new housing, the
Emad Aladhal, the director of retail banking at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has said financial market safety may have come at the expense of creditworthy borrowers, and a balance is required to open up
A consumer guide to understanding spray foam insulation has been released by a collaboration involving the Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA) and the Property Care Association (PCA), after the PCA warned homeowners against using the foam
The Government is proposing reforms across land, regulation and finance that will create simpler rules and faster decision-making to benefit small and medium sized housebuilders, it has said. ‘Complex’ planning rules will be streamlined and
The Property Ombudsman received a record number of contacts in 2024, with more than 73,000 consumers seeking support with property-related issues – 27% more than the previous year. Although the majority of enquiries came from
Half of UK adults believe that saving for a home is much more important than paying for a wedding, according to research from property website Zoopla. Just under half (48%) of all adults were prioritising
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released its 2024 Annual Review, which the organisation says ‘showcases a year of significant progress in modernising the profession, expanding membership, and leading on global sustainability standards’.
Zoopla’s latest House Price Index shows the busiest May for home sales since 2021, which the property website attributes to buyers tempted back to the market by attractive mortgage deals and an increase of up
A webinar poll conducted by Countrywide Surveying Services (CSS) has found that property professionals have confidence in the first-time buyer market, but are sceptical of government commitments to housebuilding and reform. CSS polled around 250
New research from Santander shows more than half (57%) of homeowners who considered moving in the last year have paused their plans – with high costs the biggest barrier to moving. Instead, nearly a third
Market data from estate agency software provider Alto reveals a sharp downturn in first-time buyer demand since the government’s stamp duty changes on 1st April. The data, which is based on activity from 6,000 UK
A team of volunteers from a Lincolnshire law firm have transformed the gardens of a Grade II listed building with a legal history. Wake House is currently home to charities, businesses and community clubs, but
HM Land Registry has said it will share data on the number of ‘avoidable requisitions’ within law firms, which it says will increase the quality and speed of service it offers. The organisation will also
The Property Lawyers Alliance (PLA) says a ‘mountain’ of regulations and red tape are suffocating conveyancing and the ‘vast panoply’ of Anti Money Laundering (AML) guidance notes, laws, regulations and sanctions are ‘a serious impediment
A new bill passed by the Scottish Parliament will prevent anyone who isn’t licensed from using the title ‘lawyer’, following a 10-year campaign by the Law Society of Scotland. The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland)
The true scale of mortgage fraud in the UK may be far greater than official enforcement figures suggest, according to data gathered by the client due diligence platform Thirdfort. A Freedom of Information request made
Average UK house prices increased by 6.4%, to £271,000 in the 12 months to March 2025, according to provisional estimates in the ONS UK House Price Index – up from 5.5% in the 12 months
Property industry reaction to the latest ONS Consumer Price Inflation index is subdued, but would-be homebuyers are being urged not to lose hope. The Consumer Price Index rose by 3.5% in the 12 months to
Figures from property data specialists TwentyEA, gathered by real-time tracking of over 99% of property listings, reveal that buyer demand is 7% higher than this time last year. Demand is highest in the North West,