Increase in property transactions ‘a reassuring sign’
HMRC’s provisional seasonally adjusted estimate of the number of UK residential transactions for September has seen a year-on-year rise of 4%, to 95,980, which represents a 1% increase on August’s figures. The provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate is 102,420, 8% higher than the same period last year and 2% lower than August. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions […]
HBF warns OBR new homes targets are too optimistic, with many sites ‘unviable’
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast of 1.5 million homes being built by the end of the decade are too optimistic, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has said, with increased costs making many sites unviable. In March, the OBR said planning reforms would bring housebuilding to its highest level in 40 years, and the […]
Number of households ‘will increase by 2.4 million by 2032’, with more people living alone
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) projects the number of households in England will increase by 2.4 million (10.3%) within 10 years, with single-person households set to increase by 19.6% and households with children falling by 8.4%. The ONS modelling projects the number of households – based on demographic trends rather than the […]
Invoice and mandate scams fall, but fraud remains ‘a major threat’
Losses caused by criminals posing as conveyancers and other tradespeople to intercept large payments totalled £19.9 million in the first half of 2025, a decrease of 24% on the same period the previous year, according to the latest half year fraud report from banking trade association UK Finance. And although the figures show a year-on-year […]
AML regime responsibility to pass to FCA amid ‘blitz on pointless admin’
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will become the Single Professional Services Supervisor (SPSS) for anti-money laundering (AML) as part of her ‘blitz’ on ‘pointless admin’ In an effort to save £6bn per year by 2029 the chancellor has announced sweeping changes to business bureaucracy at a Regional Investment Summit in […]
Christmas comes early; buyer slowdown “6-8 weeks earlier than usual”
The traditional seasonal slowdown in homebuyer demand in the run up to Christmas has come six to eight weeks earlier than usual as buyers adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to moving home ahead of the budget on 26th November. A first annual fall in sales is reported by property website Zoopla in its latest […]
Conveyancing Association announce date and theme for 2026 Annual Conference
Conveyancing representative body The Conveyancing Association (CA) has announced the date and theme of its 2026 Annual Conference which is to be held at The Belfry Hotel & Resort in Birmingham. Taking place on Thursday 12th February next year the Conference is entitled, ‘Conveyancing Under The Spotlight’, with reflections and analysis on how conveyancing firms […]
£2m government funding allocated for home buying and selling reform
Nearly £2m has been allocated to support innovation in the property market as conveyancing searches and data have been targeted by the government as areas where cutting through ‘out-dated red tape’ would enable innovators to ‘get new technologies out of the lab and into use sooner. ’ The funding has been awarded by the Regulators’ Pioneer […]
Property logbook body clears up ‘misleading and confusing’ consultation wording
The Residential Logbook Association (RLBA) has issued a clarification related to the wording in the government’s consultation on home buying reforms, which it says is misleading and does not reflect the agreed ‘digital property logbook’ term. The RLBA wants to see all residential property transactions supported by a regulated digital logbook, with accredited providers included […]
CLC publishes 11 principles for use of AI, with detailed guidance
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has published its first AI and Technology Principles and Guidance, released to coincide with AI Week. Developed collaboratively by the CLC’s AI and Technology Working Group, the 11 principles reflect extensive input from across the sector, including probate and conveyancing practices, lenders, insurers and technology providers. Informed by the Legal Services […]
SRA ‘knew’ SSB was failing nearly a year before it collapsed as it faces enforcement action
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) faces enforcement action in the wake of its failure to properly regulate failed Sheffield law firm SSB Group; missing the opportunity to respond ‘effectively or efficiently’ despite more than 100 reports relating to SSB’s activity from January 2019 to March 2024. A report published by the Legal Services Board (LSB) suggests […]
Solicitor fined £17,000 for failing to advise clients of risks in property purchases
A solicitor has been fined £17,000 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority after failing to advise multiple overseas buyers of the risks involved in the purchase of over 300 properties being constructed or refurbished by a property developer. Ming Fai Tam, also known as Matthew Tam, acted for the buyers between 2017 and 2020 in his […]
LSB announces review following Mazur, as SLC reassures conveyancers
The Legal Services Board and the Society of Licensed Conveyancers have added their voices to the ongoing debate surrounding the High Court’s Mazur ruling that legal executives cannot conduction litigation, even under supervision. As firms pulled legal executives from casework amid concerns about the potential wider impact of the ruling, The Council for Licensed Conveyancers, […]
Sarah Sackman KC MP and Judge Fiona Monk to speak at CILEX Conference
CILEX has confirmed the speaking line up for its annual conference taking place on Thursday 13 November in Birmingham. FutureLegal 2025 takes place at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre, and brings together the CILEX membership community, including paralegals, chartered legal executives, CILEX lawyers and legal professionals from across the sector for a day of […]
Conveyancing task force will address ‘fatal flaws’ in home buying reforms
A task force of conveyancers has assembled to address what its members say are fatal flaws in the government’s proposals for home buying reform. Urgent conversations have been taking place amongst the group since Sunday, a spokesperson said, with the aim of analysing the consultation documents ‘for the good of the profession’. The group – […]
Kemi Badenoch pledges to scrap stamp duty on primary residences
Convervative leader Kemi Badenoch will abolish stamp duty entirely on primary residences if the party is elected into government at the next election, she has said. In her closing speech at the party’s annual conference, Badenoch said the housing market is not working the way it should, with stamp duty ‘the big barrier that keeps […]
SRA clarifies position on Mazur; CLC reiterates ruling ‘has no implications for conveyancing’
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published a statement in response to the fall-out from the High Court Mazur ruling that legal executives cannot conduct litigation, even under supervision from regulated professionals. Following claims that firms were pulling legal executives from casework – including conveyancing and wills and probate – amid concerns about the potential wider […]
Home buying industry reacts to government reform proposals: ‘Much-needed progress and change’
On Sunday night, the government announced a series of sweeping changes to the home buying system, calling the propsoals ‘the biggest shake-up to the home buying process in this country’s history’. The current system, the statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said, is ‘chaotic’, ‘a barrier to home ownership’ and […]
Government announces ‘biggest shake-up to home buying process in country’s history’
The government has unveiled proposals for ‘the biggest shake-up to the home buying system in this country’s history’, calling the current process ‘chaotic’ and ‘a barrier to home ownership’. In a statement released on Sunday, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the proposals will ‘speed up the sluggish housing market’ with a […]
Legal sector faces ‘turning point’ as more than half anticipate leaving their role within five years due to overload and burnout
The legal sector faces a turning point as more than half of people responding to a survey on their mental health and wellbeing said they anticipated leaving their role within the next five years. A third said they anticipated leaving the legal sector completely, with the normalisation of overworking playing a sizeable role in high […]