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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,
Provisional figures from Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency, suggest three key housebuilding targets have already been exceeded. According to a provisional annual report due to be published in full this summer, Homes
The countryside charity CPRE claims big housebuilders are maximising profits by hoarding planning permission for up to a million new homes while releasing poor-quality properties to market. In a briefing paper released this week, the
A report from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) reveals ‘widespread frustration’ with the homebuying process, with almost half of the 5,300 recent homebuyers surveyed saying property lawyers and conveyancers were the ‘primary culprits’. Just
Rightmove and Nationwide have launched a ‘global first’ real-time digital feature to help potential home-buyers find out if a property is likely to be eligible for mortgage lending and speed up the buying process. The
The majority of first-time buyers are aged between 25 and 34 and use their own savings to cover the deposit, according to data in the government’s latest English Housing Survey (EHS). In 2023-24, 60% of
A new desktop report instantly assesses the risk posed to an individual property by Japanese knotweed, as well as the known incidences within a two and a half mile radius. The KnotSure report, from invasive
Up to 18,500 council homes could be bought by tenants under the Right to Buy scheme over the next year, after potential purchasers rushed to submit applications following the drastic cut in discounts announced in
North East law firm Mincoffs has appointed Ashleigh Warne as partner in a series of April promotions. Warne will work closely with partner and head of residential conveyancing Emma Liddle, where she will utilise her
Top 100 UK law firm Hugh James has appointed eight new partners and two directors, while home moving group Movera has strengthened its leadership team with a new director of professional standards. Glen Walker brings