‘Half of homebuyers’ say conveyancing is most stressful part of moving
Conveyancing is the most stressful part of the home-moving process, according to half of the home movers surveyed by software provider Smoove. The research, which surveyed 1001 home buyers over 25 who had moved within the last six to 12 months, found that 49% of those questioned believed liaising with conveyancers was the most difficult […]
Surge in demand defies typical summer slowdown and ‘reinforces buyers market’
A surge in buyer demand is defying the typical summer housing market slowdown, accompanied by a rise in agreed sales and a record number of homes on the market. The latest House Price Index from Zoopla shows a year-on-year increase of 11% in demand and 8% in agreed sales, with an average of 37 homes […]
‘Dishonest’ licensed conveyancer banned for forging signatures and misleading HMLR
A licensed conveyancer has been banned from practising by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after forging client signatures on a mortgage deed, falsifying an email purportedly from the clients and lying about the circumstances surrounding the case. Tanya Khan, a licensed conveyancer at Mackrell Solicitors in Covent Garden at the time of the offences, also used […]
Cambridge firm fined £173,000 for failing to identify client as PEP
A Cambridge firm of solicitors has been fined £172,934 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for failing to identify a client as a non-domestic politically exposed person (PEP). The failure by Taylors Vintner LLP led to a second firm being provided with inaccurate information, having been told that the client’s identity had been verified in accordance […]
NatWest signs formal commitment with PEXA
NatWest has signed a formal commitment with PEXA to proceed with an implementation programme for remortgage transactions by the end of the first half of 2026, with the intention of facilitating sale and purchase transactions. The FTSE-100 listed bank is the third largest mortgage lender in the UK and was responsible for 12% of all […]
‘Why the rush?’ HomeOwners Alliance has ‘serious concerns’ over CMA’s £100m proposal for house builders
The HomeOwners Alliance has said it has ‘serious concerns’ about the Competition and Markets Authority’s proposed £100 million settlement with seven major house builders, and has asked the authority to explain why it has not pursued a fuller investigation. In an official response to the CMA’s consultation on the matter, the HomeOwners Alliance has questioned […]
Increase in stamp duty revenue ‘reasonable sign’ impact of changes starting to ease
Stamp duty receipts for the April to June 2025 are £4.6 billion, according to HMRC data released this week – £0.4 billion higher than the same period last year. The latest figures take the total paid in stamp duty for the first six months of 2025 to £6.6 billion – up from £5.4 billion over […]
FCA simplifies remortgage rules
Borrowers will find it easier to remortgage under changes announced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), in a package of measures designed to help people navigate their financial lives and support economic growth. The measures are part of a series of reforms the regulator is undertaking to ensure more people can benefit from choice in […]
HMLR beat March 25 deadline for 95% submission turnaround within 12 months
HM Land Registry (HMLR) say they have beaten their self-imposed March 2025 deadline to process 95% of all applications within 12 months of submission; evidence of the progress they have made in the years since COVID-19 and the sizeable backlogs that ensued. The achievement was highlighted in the recently published 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts […]
CLC to launch thematic review into referral fees
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has announced it will conduct a thematic review into referral fees in the wake of the recently aired BBC Panorama documentary on conditional selling. In a statement on its website, the regulator said the programme had: “…highlighted serious concerns about conditional selling and the questionable sales tactics of certain […]
Vast majority of conveyancers ‘not confident’ in sales process
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is urging practices to engage with opportunities to improve conveyancing transactions, after it emerged that a significant majority of conveyancers do not feel confident in the process. The CLC’s third quarterly Confidence Tracker has revealed that 85% of respondents feel unconfident or neutral about the sales process, with […]
End of chancel checks? Law Commission to consult on extent of homeowner’s liabilities
The Law Commission have launched a consultation on proposals to clarify chancel repair liability (CRL) and potentially end such, unless there is an entry on the property title. The Commission’s paper and consultation, which runs until 15th November 2025, highlights a need to clarify the current ‘uncertainty’ around the intention of the Land Registration Act […]
BBC investigation uncovers ‘dubious’ selling of conveyancing services by estate agents
An undercover investigation by the BBC has uncovered what it calls ‘dubious sales tactics’ by estate agents favouring buyers who agree to take out in-house conveyancing services. The broadcaster investigated UK-wide agency Connells after speaking to more than 20 ‘concerned’ independent financial advisers and mortgage advisers from across England and Wales. During a six-week undercover […]
LSCP urges regulators to act on unbundling as Tracker Survey finds numbers at record high
More people than ever are ‘unbundling’ legal services, with one in five consumers dividing the tasks that need to be carried with their solicitors. The highest incidences of the practice were found in probate, trademarks, employment and immigration law, where more than a third of consumers took on some of the legal work. The figures […]
Ombudsman to publish more examples of complaints failings in drive for greater transparency
Efforts to help the legal sector better understand the role of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) and provide insight into their decisions are to be redoubled under a ‘renewed commitment to using statutory powers to publish final decisions where it is in the public interest to do so.’ The Legal Ombudsman, established in the wake of […]