News brought to you by the Today’s Conveyancer editorial team.
Following the Prime Minster’s conference pledge to put “beautiful homes on brownfield sites in places where homes make sense” the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) have announced that thousands of new homes
Panic attacks, tinnitus, mood swings, brain fog, and extreme pain are just some of the many symptoms that can make it near-impossible for women to continue working when the menopause strikes. For many, this costs
The Society of Licensed Conveyancers has urged the government to take urgent action to protect all those affected by the cladding scandal in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Board Member and former Chairman
A review completed by the Solicitors Regulations Authority into law firm anti-money laundering failures has identified a 40% increase in the number of potential AML breaches reported to the SRA, with the number one area
NatWest Bank has admitted to three charges relating to anti-money laundering failures. NatWest, the state-backed bank formerly known as Royal Bank of Scotland, will face “very large fines” according to experts, following its failure to
Newly released Land Registry data has revealed the overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, with a considerable ‘hotspot’ in London and interest from ‘tax haven’ organisations rife. The analysis comes in the
Conveyancing law firm, Sort Legal, launches brand new website and company-wide rebrand to enhance clients’ online journey. Founded in 2016, the Derby and Cardiff based Sort Legal have announced a new look and enhanced client-facing
Revised ethical rules are launched today by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The new Rules of Conduct set out the core principles of professional practice for RICS’ regulated members and firms worldwide. Changes include
The government have released further details of the “Residential Property Developer Tax” (RPDT) which is aimed at funding the remediation costs of replacing dangerous cladding on leasehold properties. The Tax will be levied on the
ULS technology, a leading provider of digital products and services in the home moving market, has completed the acquisition of Bolton based property law firm, Amity Law, to help strengthen its offering to the legal
“There is no happiness like taking a set of keys, and knowing that the place is yours and you can paint the front door any colour you like. As it happens I am not allowed
Average house prices in the UK are now at a record-breaking high as Halifax records fastest growth in 14 years. The latest Halifax House Price Index reveals that after three months of decline, the average
HM Land Registry (HMLR) has published details of changes to several Practice Guides in its latest update. First registrations (PG1) This guide deals with the procedure to be followed when applying for first registration
This year The ESTAS Awards are completely sold out and will be full to capacity with 1,200 guests ready to celebrate their hard work over the last 18 months. For the first time agents, conveyancers
A letter from the Minister of State for Housing to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate regarding recent changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has been published. Housing Minister, Christopher Pincher, has
By updating Practice Guide 8, HMLR is now allowing electronic signing and witnessing solutions to be used to sign deeds and other HMLR documents. The aim of the updated Practice Guide is to make more
A major new report by the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) is calling for a new greenfield surcharge in a bid to encourage future brownfield development. “Brownfield First” proposals suggest that a greenfield surcharge would be
Following a consultation between July and October last year on how funds could be raised to help the UK’s fight against economic crime, the Government has now published its proposals and draft legislation which will
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) today announced that more than a thousand people have signed up to take the first ever Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) assessment in November. The new single rigorous examination means that
Simply Conveyancing has announced the acquisition of Peterborough-based Pirie Palmann as part of an ambitious growth drive that it says will see it become one of the largest and most experienced conveyancing practices in the
Latest Bank of England reports show that mortgage and savings rates remain at rock bottom, with some savings rates at record lows. The Bank of England has reported that average savings rates have dropped to
A South London law firm, Topstone Solicitors Limited, and its director Silas Ogbonna have been fined for failing to complete proper due diligence checks on two property deals. Sanctions were imposed by the SRA following
One of the Midlands leading independent law firms has appointed a new CEO to help it capitalise on a record year of performance. Talbots Law, which employs more than 280 people across its six offices
Flintshire in Wales is set to undergo a review of current council tax premiums for second home owners that have been in place since 2017, reports suggest. The news comes following mounting concerns across staycation
The Conveyancing Association, the leading trade body in the conveyancing industry, restarted its real live event calendar at RSA House, London on the 9th September, The CA Policy and Strategy board met in the morning
Conveyancers up and down cheered a sigh of relief as the stamp duty holiday concluded on Thursday at midnight. A few sore heads on Friday may have dealt with end of the week completions but
Legal mental health charity LawCare has today released the findings of its research study Life in the Law. The research into wellbeing in the profession captured data between October 2020 and January 2021 from over
A new report from Hamptons predicts that more homes are expected to be sold across 2021 than in any other year since 2007. The forecast is based on figures that show a strong first half-year
The SRA has reprimanded and fined a solicitor who inadvertently helped a client to commit theft. The incident, which took place at the North East firm SJ Palin & Co Solicitors, caused the SRA to
Findings from a new report commissioned by UK Finance reveal that 52% of new mortgage lending is going to borrowers who will not have paid off their home loan before their 65th birthday. Longer mortgage
Research has identified that homebuyers have saved as much as £6bn on SDLT, with nearly half a million transactions completing between July 2020 and 30th June 2021, when phase 2 of the tapered end to
Solicitors in England and Wales will celebrate Black History Month by embracing the ‘Proud to Be’ theme, which encourages Black people to celebrate and share the pride they have in their heritage and culture. Law