Law of Property Bill

Paul Butt answers the question – How will a new Law of Property Act affect conveyancers and what changes will be made?

All conveyancers will be aware that an easement can be acquired by prescription i.e. by simply using the ‘right’ over a long period – basically a minimum of 20 years. But as a recent case

Balancing the scales of conveyancing

Once again conveyancers are being assailed by a whirlwind of reports (scare stories if you wish) about fraud. Most recently, on April 29th we were warned: ‘PII costs fall – but attempted fraud is rampant,

balancing the scales of conveyancing

Paul Butt analyses the case of Hakimzay Ltd v Robin Swailes [2015] EWHC B14 (Ch) Hakimzay Ltd v Robin Swailes [2015] EWHC B14 (Ch) Introduction We all know that serving a notice to complete makes

Paul Butt looks into the less obvious problems caused by the new rules on SDLT and issues you may not have considered.

Paul Butt discusses so-called “hidden fees” within retirement home sales and looks at the case of Burrell v Helical (Bramshott Place) Ltd [2015] EWHC 3727 (Ch).

Michael Moore (Automobiles) Limited v BP Oil (UK) Limited First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber (Land Registration) ref/2015/0174 The complex legal rules pertaining to easements can often cause problems for landowners and conveyancers alike. Although involving commercial

One thing that old fogies (like myself!) sometimes bang on about is the de-skilling of conveyancing since the golden days of their youth and that this and the growth of ‘conveyancing factories’ is the cause

The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 gives owners of long leases of houses the right to compulsorily acquire the freehold. But what exactly is a ‘house for the purposes of the Act? This was the question

Regency Villas Title Ltd v Diamond Resorts (Europe) Ltd [2015] EWHC 3564 This case involved alleged ‘easements’ enjoyed by the owners of Regency Villas, a time share resort, over the Broome Park Estate. The time

Balancing the scales of conveyancing

Flooding It was only last month that I had a few words to say about the importance of searches and enquiries before contract. The horrendous floods we have seen in various parts of the North

Marketing for conveyancers

In the 40 years since the writer qualified as a solicitor, conveyancing has changed dramatically and no more so than in making searches. This is now often a much more demanding task than that of

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