HMLR will share requisition data ‘to speed up processing’
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 offer free training to ‘help law firms get applications right first time’. The data – available from the autumn – […]
PLA says AML regulations and punitive fines are suffocating conveyancers, as it launches campaign for reform
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 to the efficient working of the UK property market and a significant drag on the economy’. The PLA estimates AML […]
Modernising the conveyancing process – A utopian ideal?
The Land Registry is making strides to improve the UK property industry through digitisation. However, for some professionals, including Kevin Johnson, Director of On Point Data, this push, while well-intentioned, doesn’t go far enough in tackling the sector’s most entrenched challenges. In April, HM Land Registry Chief Executive Simon Hayes published a blog, ‘Building the […]
New guidance document on pre-contract enquiries set to be published
A new guidance outlining recommendations on what should and should not be included in pre-contract enquiries is to be published. The document has been produced by Vicki Redman of Swiitch (working with other conveyancers from other firms) in response to an increase in what is described as ‘wholly inappropriate’ enquiries. 66% of respondents to the […]
CA appoints two new directors
Conveyancers Rhodri Howells and Samantha Strong have been appointed directors of the Conveyancing Association and will start working with the other Board members and Executive Team across the full range of CA workstreams. The appointments were ratified at the CA’s Annual General Meeting in the last week. Howells is Head of Legal Practice at Sort […]
Homebuyers believe conveyancers are ‘primary culprits’ in a frustrating process – OPDA
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 over 60% of respondents said they had been asked to provide the same information or documents two or three times, […]
CIE responds to climate change practice note: ‘An opportunity, not a requirement’
The Law Society of England & Wales published the practice note ‘Climate Change and Property’ on 12th May 2025. This practice note follows from initial guidance ‘The Impact of Climate Change on Solicitors’ which was published on 19th April 2023. The practice note represents the Law Society’s view of good practice, in relation to climate […]
SDLT knowledge check: Are you getting it right?
The many rules, reliefs and exemptions related to SDLT can be complicated, but mistakes can prove costly. Here are some useful FAQs brought together from our experience of common queries we see from conveyancers. First time buyers relief (FTBR) A purchaser inherited a share in a property but never lived in it – will FTBR […]
Stamp duty rush pushed conveyancing costs to ‘all-time high’ of £2,434
The cost of conveyancing increased by 11.9% between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, ‘driven by competition for services and a rush to complete before the stamp duty changes’. An analysis of 59,000 conveyancing quotes by the home moving company reallymoving revealed an average cost of £2,434 for combined sale and purchase, including expenses and disbursements. […]
Material information guidance withdrawal – what next for conveyancers?
The withdrawal of the material information guidance published by National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) appears to have taken much of the industry by surprise. Law Society of England and Wales vice president Mark Evans the withdrawal has left ‘consumers, conveyancers and estate agents in the dark’ and Sheila Kumar, chief executive […]
Climate Change Practice Note Published
The Law Society has published the Climate Change Practice note and accompanying Supplementary Technical Note outlining its expectations on property lawyers when it comes to providing advice on the impact of climate change on property transactions. The new practice note ‘complements’ existing guidance on flood risk and contaminated land says the Law Society and follows […]
‘Stability is tempting buyers back to the market’, with Lincolnshire seeing largest uplift
All but two counties in England saw an upward trend in the number of buyers entering the market in Q1 of 2025, according to research from London lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves. Between Q1 2024 and Q1 of this year, the number of homes securing a buyer across England increased at an average […]
New build home buying incentives could reduce SDLT liability
Conveyancers ‘rarely adjust’ new build contract prices to take advantage of developer-funded incentives, which can be offset against stamp duty liability according to accountancy firm Relatus. There is, says Relatus spokesperson Louise Wise, an acknowledgement that HMRC applies ‘a narrow interpretation’ of the rules, leading to an ‘overly cautious’ approach from conveyancers due to the […]
Conveyancers role is not ‘to do nothing’ on climate change – reaction to Practice Note
Many thousands of hours have gone into the Law Society’s Climate Change Practice Note (PN) which has been ‘deeply considered’ and recognises the ‘limited’ role conveyancers have to play in climate change. The note itself highlights ‘solicitors are not qualified to advise on physical risks’ adding professional indemnity insurers may not cover such advice to […]
Climate change obligations hotting up for property lawyers
In the wake of the much anticipated Climate Change Practice Note published by the Law Society this week Dan Montagnani, former CEO of Groundsure and an advisor and consultant to the geospatial, sustainability and conveyancing search industries gives his thoughts on the implications for property lawyers Publication of The Law Society Climate Change Risk […]
Expertise and training the leading cause of unnecessary pre-contract enquiries – Survey
Sentiment around the number and relevance of pre-contract enquiries remains low amongst conveyancers with over half saying the situation is worse than 12 months ago in the latest sentiment survey undertaken by Today’s Conveyancer The survey, which has run annually for the last four years and this year received over 100 responses, again demonstrates pre-contract […]
Climate change practice note to be published today; what could it mean for conveyancers?
The Law Society will today (12th May) publish its climate change practice note, and can expect a mixed reaction from the profession if the response echoes the guidance published in 2023. While some believe risks associated with climate and the expectation that conveyancers should be climate change soothsayers are beyond the scope of the profession, […]
NTSELAT material information guidance withdrawn – but duty to report remains
As part of the transition to the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC) which supersedes the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) have announced it is withdrawing the Material Information Guidance it published in 2022 and 2023. Effective 8th May 2025, the […]
Why training Gen Z in conversation is crucial for the future of conveyancing
A new generation of case managers is entering the legal profession, bringing with them a fresh mindset and a digital-first approach to communication. Generation Z professionals – raised in a world of smartphones, messaging apps, and emojis – tend to favour emails and instant messages over face-to-face meetings or even phone calls. But while these […]
Completion takes a month longer than buyers expect; issues with communication are a top gripe
The house buying process takes 36 days longer than buyers expect it to, according to new research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA). Almost half of those questioned said conveyancers are the primary cause of delays. On average, people expected the exchanging of contracts to take 88 days after an offer was accepted. But […]
