Beyond the flood report: Why property flood resilience matters in transactions
Graham Brogden MBE, chair of the International Property Flood resilience Association (IPFRA), explains why flood risk is on the agenda of every conveyancer, and outlines what IPFRA is doing to support consistent standards and best practice across the sector. Flood risk is no longer a niche environmental concern within property transactions. It is increasingly […]
Interest in law jobs ‘drops by a third’
Interest in law-related jobs has dropped by a third over the past year, recruitment website data suggests. The number of jobseekers pursuing legal roles fell by 32.9% between January 2026 and 2025, according to Indeed Hiring Insights data analysed by Witan Solicitors. Despite continued demand from employers, the number of jobseekers per vacancy dropped by […]
IHT “arbitrary, distortionary and expensive to administer” and should be scrapped say Institute of Economic Affairs
Inheritance tax is “arbitrary, distortionary and expensive to administer” and should be scrapped says a recently published paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) because of the heavy burden it places on families alongside a discouragement of savings and investments. A Taxing Inheritance outlines how the UK’s IHT regime places it fifth highest for […]
PCC’s post-completion tips
In the final instalment of our series of articles offering advice and insight into post-completion, Priscilla Sinder and Maria Hardy from the PCC Education Hub share their tips for dealing with common issues. In today’s environment when we are faced with so much technology and systems that guarantee post-completion is just a simple task, […]
March housing market remains steady despite global uncertainty, Rightmove finds
Market activity in March appears stable so far despite the new geopolitical uncertainty created by the Iran war, according to Rightmove’s latest figures. The property portal’s real-time snapshot of daily market activity on Friday revealed the number of sales being agreed is only 2% behind the strong market of this time last year, and 5% […]
Beswicks Legal flags LISA consultation as conveyancing risk
Replacing the Lifetime ISA (LISA) with a new first-time buyer savings product could have significant implications for buyers and property professionals alike warns a Legal 500 firm. Beswicks Legal says the government consultation, which includes reviewing the £450,00 property price cap, is a conveyancing risk already affecting transactions on the ground. Sophie Ellis, conveyancing and property solicitor, Beswicks […]
Buyer demand dips amid interest rate pessimism, RICS finds
Buyer demand has dipped amid renewed concerns over the interest rate outlook, according to the latest residential market survey from RICS. The UK Residential Market Survey from the chartered surveyor body shows a housing market still struggling for momentum, with renewed geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty weighing on buyer sentiment and near-term expectations. While some surveyors […]
Conveyancing caseloads grow as market consolidation eases, report finds
The latest research from property legal tech firm Search Acumen points to an elevated number of property transactions for Q4 2025, which the company says signals renewed confidence in the property sector following years of volatility. Consolidation among law firms has notably levelled off, Search Acumen says, reflecting the sector’s growing capacity to absorb increased caseloads and adapt to evolving […]
Post-completion: Dispositions made by an overseas entity
The penultimate article in our post-completion series from PCC Education Hub’s Priscilla Sinder and Maria Hardy provides an overview of requirements when acting in a disposition which concerns an overseas entity. The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022: HM Land Registry practice guide 78 defines an ‘overseas company’ as a company that is […]
Housing market regaining momentum but affordability still stretched – Halifax
The housing market has built on a steady start to the year in February and conditions are gradually improving, according to the latest house price index from Halifax. Although affordability remains a challenge for many, particularly those without financial support from family, the latest figures suggest the market has regained some momentum, Halifax head of […]
Second consecutive year of growth provides cautious optimism for 2026, IRN conveyancing report suggests
The latest IRN UK Residential Conveyancing Market Report reveals the volume of residential transactions in the UK has increased for the second year running in 2025, following declines in 2022 and 2023. The residential conveyancing market registered market value growth of 7.0% in 2025 and is forecast to grow by 6.1% in 2026. The sector […]
Strong home ownership ambitions persist despite affordability challenges, study reveals
Around two thirds of UK adults surveyed for an annual lending study say they hope to purchase a property, despite ongoing financial pressures and mounting concerns about credit history. The survey of 4,000 UK adults carried out for The Pepper Money Specialist Lending Study 2025 revealed that young people are the most optimistic about stepping […]
The need for a balanced and authoritative approach to leasehold reform
In the final instalment of our leasehold series from ALEP, lease extension and enfranchisement specialist Shabnam Ali-Khan explores the changes that are necessary for meaningful reform to the leasehold system. It is widely accepted that the leasehold system is in need of reform, and that the current leasehold system is flawed in many ways. The […]
Nationwide’s February house price index ‘reinforces modest recovery’
The February house price index from Nationwide reinforces the view of a modest recovery following a dip at the end of last year, the building society has reported. The number of mortgages approved for house purchase are close to pre-pandemic levels, Nationwide’s chief economist Robert Gardner pointed out, with improved affordability and an easing in […]
Local authorities holding £9bn in unspent developer funds, HBF says
A freedom of information request by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has revealed local authorities in England and Wales are sitting on over £9 billion of developer contributions paid as part of planning agreements for new housing developments. The “ongoing failure” of local government to use the money is undermining support for new housing and […]
Upsizers account for 70% of market as affordability improves
Homeowners trading up to more expensive properties made up 70% of simultaneous sellers and buyers in the first quarter of 2026, according to property data platform reallymoving – the highest proportion in nearly five years. The company attributes the steady resurgence in upsizing activity to a gradual easing in borrowing costs which have made it […]
Mortgage figures show a strong 2025 but slow start to 2026
New mortgage figures released by UK Finance and the Bank of England reveal strong growth for lending in 2025, followed by a reduction in January of this year. The Household Finance Review for Q4 2025 from UK Finance shows a 16% increase in mortgage lending – the highest level since 2021. But Bank of England […]
January transaction numbers ‘no indicator of current market conditions’
The latest property market transaction figures published by HMRC are not reflective of the current market conditions and represent the last of the hangover from the uncertainty created by the autumn budget and the run up to the traditional December slowdown, property sector experts have said. The provisional seasonally adjusted estimate of the number of […]
UK legal services sector grew by 6.1% last year, with residential conveyancing worth £2.5bn
The UK legal services sector increased by 6.1% in 2025, according to the latest legal services market report from IRN Legal Reports. The total estimated value of the market last year was £55.5 billion, with residential conveyancing accounting for £2.5 billion. The largest segment in the consumer legal services market was in personal injury or […]
Treasury losing out on half a billion in SDLT revenues as a result of fall throughs, Rightmove claims
Fall throughs could be costing the property economy as much as £900 million in lost estate agency fees and tax revenue, according to research by property portal Rightmove. The figure does not include lost conveyancing fees, or the wider spend on white goods and soft furnishings associated with moving home. The figure is based on […]