Signs of traditional property market spring bounce despite geopolitical upheaval as demand indicators increase
There are signs of the traditional property market spring bounce, according to the estate agency membership and training body Propertymark. The organisation’s latest Housing Insight Report suggests an increase in the number of viewings and listings, with resilience in sales meaning there are “encouraging signs across the housing market.” Propertymark members reported both supply and […]
Completions static but pipeline of new homes likely to contract as a result of falling planning permissions
“Fragile consumer confidence, affordability challenges and global economic uncertainty” are impacting on builders’ decisions to invest in new housing, according to the latest figures on new builds from the National House Building Council (NHBC). Despite government targets to build 1.5 million new homes in this parliament, the NHBC says the figures in its Q1 new […]
Private client work the most profitable for SME law firms
Private client law, including wills, probate, tax, trust and estate-related advice is the most profitable area of law for small law firms, alongside litigation and dispute resolution, according to the latest Bellwether Report from LexisNexis. These types of work were cited as the most profitable by 42% of respondents in the Bellwether Report 2026: Lean, […]
‘Macro headwinds’ will lead to subdued property market in the short to medium term – RICS
The housing market is in the “grip of macro headwinds stemming from the Middle East conflict” and, with interest rate rises on the horizon, the outlook for buyers remains challenging, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The comments in the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey mirror sentiment shared in recent weeks […]
Conway v Conway: The risks of informal family property arrangements
Gabriella Banham and Stephanie Butler from the property litigation team at Birketts discuss the High Court’s decision in Conway v Conway, which examined the intersection between s.2. of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989 and the doctrine of proprietary estoppel. Family arrangements around property often begin with trust, goodwill and a shared […]
Leasehold complications lengthening transaction times, with conveyancing blamed for delays
Average transaction times have extended by four weeks since 2019, according to statistics published by Connells Group this week. Leasehold transactions are driving much of the increase in average timescales, with a typical leasehold transaction taking 155 days to reach exchange in April – 58 days longer than a freehold property. The estate agency group […]
Half of homes don’t sell – Zoopla
Nearly half of all homes listed for sale in the UK do not sell, according to Zoopla. Analysis of listings on the property portal identified 44% of homes listed in the past three years didn’t attract a buyer. Out of touch sellers are contributing to the issue, according to Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla. […]
Mandatory tax adviser registration: The question firms are still avoiding
As HMRC remains steadfast in its insistence conveyancers must register as tax advisers in the face of ongoing objections, the Law Society of England and Wales has shared its own detailed guidance to help conveyancers approach the changes. With the confusion showing no sign of abating with just days to go to the registration commencement, […]
What does agentic diligence actually look like?
Ed Molyneux has spent recent weeks explaining what AI can do, where it fails, and why provenance and shared data matter. Now he walks through a day in the life of a buyer’s conveyancer working with an AI agent on a live transaction — and invites the profession to consider what changes and what stays […]
Mortgage approvals up and interest rates down in first quarter of 2026
Mortgage approvals in March 2026 sat slightly higher than the six month average and average mortgage rates decreased slightly, according to the latest Bank of England (BoE) Money and Credit statistics. Net mortgage approvals, a measure of future borrowing, increased to 63,500 in March from 62,700 in February, above an average of around 63,200 over […]
Economic forecast could be ‘somewhat weaker’ as a result of Middle East tensions, says Nationwide
Economic growth is likely to be “somewhat weaker” with higher inflation than previously projected because of geo-political tensions in the Middle East, according to Nationwide Building Society in its latest appraisal of the UK housing market. The house price index reveals current market conditions have surprised the lender, given a weakening of consumer confidence. “Despite […]
‘Context is everything’ in latest HMRC transaction figures
HMRC figures for seasonally adjusted residential transactions in March 2026 are 1% higher than February 2026, up to 104,070 from 102,750 – the highest monthly transaction figure since March 2025. Seasonally adjusted transaction figures are 41% lower than in March 2025. The large year-on-year decrease is driven by elevated transaction levels in March 2025 ahead […]
BoE interest rate hold ‘is cause for optimism’
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted by a majority of 8–1 to maintain Bank Rate at 3.75%. The hold has been welcomed as a sign of stability by some, with Jason Tebb, president of online property portal OnTheMarket, calling it a cause for optimism among borrowers. “As well as this, many […]
Why tmGroup is backing the National Property Transaction Network
As digital transformation begins to pick up pace, with high street lenders Lloyds Banking Group and NatWest both announcing digital transaction milestones in recent weeks, property technology provider tmGroup explains why it’s getting behind an industry initiative to standardise data. The announcement last week that Lloyds Banking Group, Connells Group and LMS have launched […]
Renting cheaper than a mortgage for first time since June 2025
Higher average mortgage rates have pushed monthly repayments above the cost of renting a typical home in Great Britain for the first time since June 2025, according to a new analysis from Rightmove. The average advertised monthly rent across Great Britain is currently £1,547, compared to an average new monthly mortgage payment of £1,670. Rightmove […]
Complaints, context and the case for better communication in conveyancing
In her regular monthly column, the Conveyancing Association’s director of delivery Beth Rudolf looks behind the headline statistics from the Legal Ombudsman’s complaints data, and finds a reassuring theme. Apparently, 87% of clients are happy with their conveyancer and it is easy for us to do even better. Yet, recent headlines on the Legal […]
Two things are quietly slotting into place that will change how conveyancing gets done within 18 months
Every major AI company in the world has agreed on a single way for AI agents to connect to external data, and Microsoft has already shipped it in Teams. Meanwhile, the UK property industry has been building its own open data standard, now live with Lloyds, Connells and LMS. Ed Molyneux explains why these two […]
Demand rebounds to highest level since Middle East conflict began
The latest house price index from Zoopla reveals a resilient market in the face of ongoing conflict and higher mortgage rates. Buyer enquiries have rebounded to their highest level since the Middle East conflict began, running at just 2% lower than last year. Sales agreed are 3% lower, with house price inflation steady at 1.3%. […]
Are you invisible to AI? What law firms need to know about the new client journey
AI results have replaced the front page of Google in the quest for online visibility. Damian Reed, head of brand and marketing at QualitySolicitors, explains how to get noticed. Something is changing in the way people find a solicitor and most firms haven’t noticed yet. Not long ago, a potential client looking for legal […]
Landlords ‘rushing to offload entire portfolios’ ahead of Renters’ Rights Act deadline
Landlords are rushing to offload property ahead of the Renters Rights Act coming into force on Friday, claiming the legislation is “the final straw” in a market that is no longer commercially viable. Kent and London law firm Thackray Williams says its litigation team has had a wave of last-minute instructions from landlords who want […]