News brought to you by the Today’s Conveyancer editorial team.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed it is investigating a “sophisticated suspected fraud” at PM Law, following its intervention in February. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the regulator said it now believes the
As part of efforts to develop AI-powered fintech, the Financial Conduct Authority has announced its second cohort of organisations chosen to live test AI applications and “explore key questions around risk management and live monitoring
Conveyancing and property services group Simplify has posted profits of £15 million in its latest accounts, which it says reinforces its position as the UK’s largest conveyancer. The group’s published accounts to March 2025 reveal
Nathalie Harris is a legal assistant at the start of her legal career. Throughout the past three years, her growing legal expertise combined with her CILEX studies have positioned her as an emerging talent in
A near 25% increase in mortgage activity in the first quarter of 2025 was driven by a 46% increase in remortgaging as “rafts of borrowers” continue to come off ultra-low pandemic era mortgage products, according
The Legal Software Suppliers Association (LSSA) has responded to the growing use of artificial intelligence in technology by launching a new policy document on environmental, social and governance (ESG), setting out a framework to support
Leases: when to register (PG25) Page summary: Advice for conveyancers which deals with the compulsory and voluntary registration aspects of leasehold estates in land (practice guide 25). Change made: Sections 6.4.1 and 8 have been
Referrals remain one of the most powerful – yet underused – growth strategies for SME law firms. In episode 22 of Osprey Approach’s podcast series, Empowering Law Firm Leaders, Robert Flint, practising corporate lawyer and
A discrepancy between the amount of savings declared by a buyer and the amount shown on their bank statement is the biggest red flag in anti-money laundering checks, according to data from client due diligence
Following confirmation the issuing, management and transfer of cryptoassets is to be regulated, the Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on its interpretation of cryptoassets activities ahead of the publication of policy statements in
Nottinghamshire Law Firm Fidler & Pepper has announced the business has transitioned to an employee ownership trust (EOT) in a move it says is “designed to protect the legacy, values, culture and independence that have
Fall-through rates have fallen slightly in 10 of the UK’s 13 regions, according to the latest report from property data analysts TwentyCi. The national rate fell from 24% in Q1 25 to 23.7% in Q1
Demand in the buy-to-let market has been largely fuelled by re-mortgaging, with new purchases falling slightly in Q4 of 2025 compared to the same period a year ago, newly released figures from UK Finance reveal.
Law firms in England and Wales experienced rapid, sector-wide growth in 2025, with average earnings up by 11.2% compared with a 6.1% increase in 2024. The figures, released yesterday in the Law Society’s new annual
The average shelf life of a mortgage fell to a record low of just eight days in March, down from 14 days in February, according to the latest Moneyfacts UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report. The
HomeOwners Alliance (HOA), a consumer focused home-moving advice website, has been acquired by Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) in a move described by MAB as a way to “strengthen presence earlier in the home-buying journey and
The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Monisha Shah as chair of the Legal Services Board for four years from 1st April 2026. For the last 12 months, Catherine Brown had acted as interim
With over 20 years’ residential property experience, Victoria Pollington leads Birketts’ Norwich Residential Real Estate Team and the department’s Lifetime Lending/Equity Release sector. She advises a range of clients, both individual and company, on the
Amending deeds that effect dispositions of registered land (PG68) Page summary: Guidance about practice and requirements for applications supported by a transfer or deed to update the register (practice guide 68). Change made: Section 4.3.2
A scrabble for instructions in the final quarter of 2025 has resulted in a real-term fall in the cost of conveyancing, with a quarterly average purchase and sale fee (including disbursements and expenses) of £2440
The founder of a conveyancing technology provider has launched a CLC-regulated law firm “to show that the variability that has long characterised the conveyancing process is not inevitable”. Ed Boulle is the co-founder of Orbital,
A new practice note aimed at providing guidance on how firms can ensure they are compliant with the recent Mazur decision has been published by the Law Society of England and Wales. The practice note
The latest house price data from Halifax suggests the housing market has lost momentum as spring begins. The pace of annual growth has eased to 0.8% from 1.2% the previous month, which Halifax head of
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Residential Survey for March 2026 found the market losing momentum as rising borrowing costs and wider geopolitical uncertainty weighed heavily on buyer confidence and sales activity. New
A national mortgage brokerage network has welcomed the impact of last year’s Modified Affordability Assessments (MAAs), as newly released data showed the number of borrowers moving to a new lender using MAAs more than doubled
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched a consultation on the draft 8th edition of Party Wall Legislation and Procedure, inviting feedback from surveyors, legal professionals, dispute resolution practitioners and other stakeholders involved
Women in Residential Property, a group which fosters collaboration between women working across all sectors of the residential property sector, is hosting a networking lunch in London this month and is urging more conveyancers to
A survey of 1000 home movers suggests expectations around the time it takes to complete a property purchase is being insufficiently communicated, with over two thirds of respondents saying their purchase took longer than expected.
Four in 10 downsizers still require a mortgage to buy a home, the impact of which is consumer exposure to “market turmoil”, the home moving comparison site reallymoving warns. Drawing on its own data from
Tickets are now on sale for Sort Group’s Sort Ball, which will feature a Great Gatsby theme and a secret celebrity DJ. Guests at Derby’s Vaillant Live venue on 21st October will step back in
Rob Hosier is head of conveyancer relationships at PEXA UK, where he oversees the management and growth of PEXA’s relationships with all conveyancers. Hosier brings over 18 years of experience in the conveyancing sector. What
Property portal Rightmove is the subject of a class action as estate agents claim it has overcharged for its services. The claim, first reported in November 2025. has now been submitted to the Competition Appeal