Leasehold in practice
In the penultimate of our regular series from ALEP, lease extension and enfranchisement specialist Shabnam Ali-Khan explains why the majority of ownership structures work – and how to improve those that don’t. More than a year on from the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act (LAFRA), there is a feeling in the leasehold enfranchisement sector of […]
A record month for property listings, and up to half of homes now cheaper to buy than rent
Zoopla has recorded its highest number of new homes listings in a decade in February, and says up to half of the homes available now cost less to buy than rent. The monthly house price index from the online property portal reveals that mortgage payments on 40% of UK homes cost less than average rents […]
Chain breakdowns adding a 43% premium to the cost of moving
Home movers spent an additional 43% over their allocated budget for home moving essentials including conveyancing, searches and surveys when their home moves were delayed or broke down as a result of chain related issues, according to data from Barclays. A third of UK adults (32%) who bought or sold a home in the last […]
Why law firms are losing enquiries even with strong rankings
Are your online enquiries in free-fall despite your website showing at the top of page one on Google? Damian Reed, head of brand and marketing at QualitySolicitors, explains why AI is to blame – and what you can do about it. So, your firm is sitting comfortably at the top of Google, but suddenly, […]
‘Demand remains resilient’, ONS housing market figures suggest
Average UK house prices increased by 2.5%, to £271,000, in the 12 months to November 2025, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The annual growth rate is up from 1.9% in the 12 months to October 2025. “UK annual house price inflation slowed in December following the rise in November with the average […]
Commonhold won’t work without managing agent reform
In our regular series from ALEP, right to manage specialist Louise Uphill from Moore Barlow and ALEP explains why management agent reform is needed before commonhold becomes mandatory for all new-build flats. As part of its wide-ranging leasehold reform agenda, the government has, through the publication of its Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, […]
‘Concerning divergence’ in property crime detection
Estate and letting agents submitted just 890 suspicious activity reports (SARs) in 2024-25, down from 1,044 the previous year, while the legal sector increased its reporting from 2,419 to 3,392 over the same period. Figures published in the 2024-25 annual report from the UK Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) show a widening gap between the two […]
Post-completion: When can an application be made to alter the register?
This week in our regular look at post-completion issues, Priscilla Sinder and Maria Hardy from the PCC Education Hub explain how to make applications to alter the register. The post-completion experts share insight and advice every Tuesday; if you have any questions related to post-completion you’d like them to answer, email press@todaysconveyancer.co.uk. One of […]
Buying conditions favourable in strong start to year – Rightmove
Rightmove’s February house price index reveals favourable buying conditions, with the high number of homes for sale giving buyers choice and negotiating power. Although market activity is difficult to compare with this time last year due to the looming stamp duty deadline, Rightmove says current trends look stronger when compared with 2024. The number of […]
Planning reform alone will not fix housing crisis, warns Propertymark
A property sector professional body is warning that focusing solely on reforming the planning system will not deliver the number of new homes the UK urgently needs. Propertymark said that whilst planning reform has been at the centre of successive government’s housing strategies, their analysis shows that changes to the planning system have not historically […]
First time buyers could be closer to owning a home than they realise, BSA says
New research shows many aspiring first time buyers are ruling themselves out before exploring what is possible, when many may be able to buy sooner than they thought. According to research carried out by the Building Societies Association (BSA), almost half (47%) of people surveyed who said they want to buy their own home have […]
Challenges and opportunities for cultural transformation in the conveyancing sector
Rob Gurney, managing director Ochresoft, Landmark Information Group, shares the results of Landmark’s independent market research into the future of residential conveyancing and examines the use of technology in an industry at a crossroads. The conveyancing sector is on the cusp of real, tangible transformation. As firms embrace digitalisation – from AI‑assisted workflows to the […]
Legal sector not embracing remote roles, study finds
Only 4.8% of the 6,323 new legal job listings in 2025 were fully remote, according to data shared by equity management platform Vestd. And while the legal sector sits marginally above the national industry average of 4.75% – coming in at 12th place in Vestd’s ranking of 29 industries – job seekers cited remote working […]
Property market is turning a corner, RICS survey suggests
The UK residential property market is showing tentative signs that it may be turning a corner, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey for January 2026. Whilst overall activity remains subdued, several key indicators have continued to improve, recording their least negative readings in months, RICS said, with survey respondents increasingly confident that […]
First time buyers ‘dominated 2025 housing market’
First time buyers dominated the housing market in 2025, according to an analysis of the year’s transactions carried out by conveyancing firm Bird & Co. The firm’s data for last year revealed 76% of its clients were purchasing their first home, whilst buyers with existing property made up 24% of transactions. According to Bird & […]
New home registrations up 11% according to NHBC figures
New figures from the National House Building Council (NHBC) reveal that 115,350 new homes were registered to be built in 2025, up 11% from 2024. The UK’s largest provider of new home warranties and insurance said that private sector registrations were up 12% to 75,227, compared to 67,265 in 2024. The rental and affordable sector saw […]
One in three first time buyers has at least 25% deposit
While higher loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages dominate first time buyer demand, a significant minority are seeking higher deposit deals, new data from Moneyfacts reveals. Of the first time buyers looking for fixed-term deals on the Moneyfacts comparison site, almost one in three (30%) are opting for 90% LTV mortgages, with a further 12% looking at 95% […]
Homes listed in February ‘most likely to find a buyer’
An analysis of a decade of market data reveals homes listed in February are marginally more likely to find a buyer than those listed in other months. The analysis by Rightmove found that seven in 10 (68.9%) homes listed in February went on to secure a sale, compared to 68.8% of homes listed in January […]
Post-completion: An overview of notices
In the first of our weekly series exploring issues related to post-completion, Priscilla Sinder and Maria Hardy from the PCC Education Hub share an overview of notices. Every Tuesday for the next eight weeks, the duo will share insight and advice related to post-completion topics. If you have any questions related to post-completion for Priscilla […]
House price increase ‘reflects steady market’, but regional differences grow
A 0.7% increase in house prices reflects a steady housing market according to the latest index from Halifax, following the 0.5% dip seen in December. While overall activity levels “show resilience”, the lender says regional differences have become more pronounced, with a clear north-south divide. Positive momentum has continued in the north of England, where […]