Navigating compliance in small law firms
In the first of a three-part series, Rick Jakubowski, product marketing manager at legal tech company Legl, explains how firms with up to 25 employees can stay compliant – even with limited resources. Next week, Rick takes a look at compliance trends for medium-sized firms (26-100 employees). Small firms (1-25 employees) face the same […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – Taking away client account interest could freeze us out of the high street
This week, I was going to write about moving house and the weather. As I always say to my clients, the only thing completely out of my control on the day of completion (and the control of everyone else involved in the move) is the weather. Other things that can happen on completion days tend […]
Lessons from the market: How home buying really works
With a career spanning 25 years in various roles in the property sector, most recently as commercial director at Conveyancer Insights and Property Search Direct, Mike Stainsby shares the lessons he’s learned about home buying during the last seven years in a business on the frontline of the home buying process. The home buying […]
Why Norway is the wrong blueprint for UK homebuying reform
Senior solicitor Stephen Larcombe, writing on behalf of the Conveyancing Task Force, shares a critique of what he says is “a seductive but fundamentally flawed” comparison with the UK’s housing market. As government attention turns once again to ‘fixing’ the homebuying process, a familiar idea has resurfaced: that the UK should emulate Norway by […]
Fraud risk remains a constant in the property process
Beth Rudolf, director of delivery at The Conveyancing Association, examines the constant risks of fraud faced by conveyancers during the transaction process. I was shocked to hear on Radio 4 the other day that a US administration official reportedly said about 50% of North Korea’s foreign-currency income comes from cyber-attacks (especially crypto heists and […]
Why a High Court property dispute case will decide whether WhatsApp messages are legally binding
A High Court test case will decide whether WhatsApp messages are legally binding, after a husband sent a message to his wife telling her he would sign over his share of the family home as part of their divorce settlement. Hsiao Mei-Lin claims the WhatsApp from her ex-husband, Icelandic financier Audun Mar Gudmundsson, is legally […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – This year, make a resolution to know your worth
Happy new year! I thought I would log on today and see what has been happening while I have been eating too much cheese – and wow! There were a lot of emails… So to all of you logging on this morning for the first time since the 22nd or 23rd December, take a deep […]
Your most read stories of 2025
It’s been a busy year for the conveyancing profession, with stamp duty changes, ministerial resignations, landmark legislation, budget chaos – and proposed reforms that could transform the home buying and selling process. It’s been our privilege to share all this news, and more, with you. As we head out of 2025, here’s a look back […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – In which Mr Deeds learns the error of his ways
It was a cold and bitter Christmas Eve; the lamps along Chancery Lane glimmered like stars, and snow glistened on the pavement. Mr Deeds, solicitor and administer of oaths, was hunched over his ledgers and files. Mr Deeds was a thin man with a pinched nose and a miserable disposition. His days were measured not […]
Tech predictions for 2026: Accelerated adoption, streamlined tech stacks, and more soft-skills in legal work
Property tech company Search Acumen says 2026 will see an accelerated adoption of AI and technology in the legal sector, especially in property law, driven by government innovation and investment. As AI and digital tools become more sophisticated and comprehensive, law firms will streamline their subscriptions to one or two essential products, the company says, […]
Why understanding property data is crucial for faster property transactions
As the property industry digitises, the spotlight is firmly on the importance of accurate and reliable property data to streamline processes. Landmark explains why understanding data’s pivotal role is not just beneficial, it’s essential for transforming property transactions and ensuring a smoother journey for all parties. The value of property transactions data Data lies at the heart […]
What’s in store for 2026? Property professionals share their predictions for the housing market
Despite stamp duty stampedes and budget-fuelled chaos, the housing market of 2025 can be summed up in one word: resilient. But with proposed reforms that could change the home buying landscape irrevocably, will 2026 be as steady? Estate agents and property professionals share their predictions. Rightmove Rightmove predicts that the 2026 market will be closer […]
Delays, upfront information and liability risks
Julie Williams, head of service delivery at outsourced conveyancing process provider ASAP, explains why enquiries remain the biggest barrier to sales progression. The home-moving process is currently under the spotlight with government, industry and consumers all pushing for faster, more transparent transactions. Despite a focus towards digitising the home buying process and consistent, shared […]
As we move into 2026, will moving home change?
Last time Mike Stainsby moved house – over 20 years ago – the process was so stressful he invented a new swear word. Have things changed? Can they be improved? The commercial director at Conveyancer Insights and Property Search Direct makes a few suggestions for the coming year. I’m not particularly proud that I […]
What could 2026 bring for residential conveyancers?
The residential conveyancing sector is evolving, driven by rapid technological advancements and changing client expectations. Here, the team at Landmark Information Group explore the challenges and opportunities facing conveyancers in 2026, highlighting key trends emerging from the company’s latest market research that could shape the year ahead. Opportunities for conveyancers in 2026 AI and […]
Home buying and selling reform, TA6, and what makes the perfect partner; a year of the Today’s Conveyancer Podcast
The Today’s Conveyancer Podcast was launched in 2021 with the aim of introducing listeners to the organisations and individuals who contribute to the success of the conveyancing sector. Over the previous four series, and 139 episodes the podcast has covered topics from digitisation, improving home buying and selling, M&A, the potential impact of artificial intelligence, […]
Requisition data sheds light on progress, pressure and what must happen next
Beth Rudolf, director of delivery at The Conveyancing Association, sets out the lessons that can be learned from the release of HMLR’s avoidable requisition data, and why it matters for conveyancers. HM Land Registry’s (HMLR) new set of avoidable requisition data, released earlier this month, has drawn wide interest across the sector. It gives […]
Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – The ghosts of Christmas past, present and future
Like many of you reading this, it is always heartening when clients come back to us (even though there are those occasions when the estate agents will try to send them to the ‘pet’ firm!). There are clients who have been with me since the purchase of their first home in the late 1980s, and […]
The quiet divide conveyancers are now facing under the hidden impact of leasehold reform
Louise Ainley, conveyancing solicitor at licensed conveyancer course provider Access Law Online, explains how leasehold reform is affecting the way buyers and lenders approach transactions, and the impact on conveyancers. The early stages of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act are influencing leasehold transactions in ways that are easy to overlook. As buyers and lenders […]
What’s in store for conveyancing in 2026?
Janine Wellington, managing director of Convey Law, and Lloyd Davies, MD of Convey365 and founder of the Conveyancing Foundation, outline their predictions for 2026 – and the future of conveyancing. The property market “The recent budget meant little for the property market moving forward, other than we are in for a busy few months at […]