April saw ‘surprise’ increase in mortgage approvals, Bank of England data reveals
The pipeline of future housing transactions remains resilient, with net mortgage approvals tracking above the latest six month average, according to the latest Bank of England Money and Credit Data for April 2026. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases increased to 65,900 in April, above an average of around 63,100 over the previous six months. […]
Grazing sheep not enough to convince FTT property was non-residential
A failed claim for Stamp Duty Land Tax exemption on part of a property on which sheep would graze has cost home owners nearly £50,000 after a first tier tribunal (FTT) ruled the use of the field was “intermittent” and the grazing counted as “maintenance”. Couple Ian Sinclair and Diana Chilvers bought the Grade II […]
Legal whistleblowers gain greater protection as SRA gets PIDA designation
Anyone reporting wrongdoing in the legal sector to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) now has greater protection against the risk of retaliatory action. The SRA has been designated a prescribed person under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), giving anyone in the legal sector who acts as a whistleblower legal “protection from detriment”, such […]
Housebuilder who fraudulently transferred £250,000 of land to his partner sentenced
A Bradford housebuilder who cheated creditors by secretly transferring company land to his partner has been sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Leeds Crown Court. Ishfaq Hussain moved £250,000 of development land out of a failing company, transferring it to a newly formed company in the name of the mother […]
HMRC releases tax adviser guidance for conveyancers and confirms more updates will follow
HMRC has released its long-awaited guidance for conveyancers on the requirement to register as tax advisers and has confirmed further updates will be added to support applicants with the process. The guide has been issued in two parts: scope and requirement to register and checks against registration conditions. The guidance confirms a conveyancer is likely […]
CLC shares interim referral fee report and calls for ‘hard evidence of how fees are used or abused’
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has published its interim report into the use of referral fees and put forward a series of recommendations to strengthen transparency and consumer protection. The review found that referral arrangements can play a legitimate role in conveyancing and help consumers to access services conveniently, provided they operate clearly, consistently […]
Compliance roles to be separated from senior leadership, as SRA clamps down on client money protection
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed the first intended actions to come out of recent client money consultations. “Higher risk” firms with a turnover of more than £600,000, or holding more than £2 million of client money, must make sure no single individual can both run a firm and oversee its compliance, including with […]
Homeowners to be given access to HMLR data in digital property logbook trial
Homeowners will be given direct access to their own Land Registry data as part of a 12-month digital property logbook trial set to begin this month. The trial, which has been coordinated by the Residential Logbook Association (RLBA), will explore how homeowners can securely access the data, with participating logbook providers encouraged to explore innovative […]
HMLR issues updates for 23 land registration practice guides to reflect changes to digital systems
HM Land Registry has issued updates to 23 land registration practice guides to reflect how applications should be made using its digital systems. The updates were released on 1st June, and include specific guidance for conveyancers on private trusts of land (PG24), discharge of charges (PG31), leasehold reform legislation (PG27), when to register leases (PG25), […]
Hope for short-lived property market shock – Nationwide
The property market will remain resilient in the face of current challenges if the latest shock passes relatively quickly, with any short-term softening short lived, according to the latest Nationwide House Price Index. The report reveals UK annual house price growth slowed to 1.7% in May, down from 3.0% in April. “Given the uncertainty caused […]
Homebuyers spend more than £1,800 on ‘hidden’ moving costs, L&G survey reveals
Moving house is more stressful than divorce according to nearly half of respondents to a new survey by Legal & General. The survey also found that buyers said they had spent over £1,800 on ‘hidden’ costs that hadn’t been accounted for. Of the 2,000 UK homeowners surveyed by the financial services provider, 48% said that […]
Council tax charges on unfinished homes is driving down housing development, HBF warns
A new report warns that the application of council tax to unfinished housing developments is threatening housing delivery. The Licence to Bill report by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Paragon Development Finance reveals almost half (45%) of local authorities are charging developers full council tax on newly built homes awaiting sale or occupation. Council […]
Jeff Lewis elected as new Law Society deputy vice president
The Law Society of England and Wales council has elected Jeff Lewis as its new deputy vice president. Lewis will take office in October 2026, become vice president in 2027 and president of the Law Society in 2028. As deputy district judge on the Northern Circuit since 2001, Lewis gained significant insight into the operations […]
Property transactions ‘broadly in line with expectations’ as HMRC records 3% monthly fall
Property transaction trends are broadly in line with expectations, after the latest HMRC residential transaction numbers revealed a seasonally adjusted estimate of 101,030 transactions in April, 3% lower than last month. While the impact of the Middle East conflict continues to play a part in inflation and consumer confidence, there is still “strong intent” amongst […]
Two thirds of CLC members ‘can’t cope with workload’
Research commissioned by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has found two thirds of those questioned “have felt unable to cope with workload at least sometimes,” with 17% saying they can’t cope “frequently”. The Workplace and Diversity Survey 2025 was based on the responses of 733 CLC lawyers and managers, CLC-regulated practices and “others working […]
ALSP consultant headcount grows 25% in 12 months, topping 5,000
The number of self-employed consultant lawyers within alternative legal service provider (ALSP) platforms has topped 5,000 – a 25% increase in just 12 months. The numbers have been revealed in the fourth Platform Firms Report from Codex Edge. Last year, the report’s authors described ALSPs as “a fundamental part of the UK legal fabric” and […]
Private equity backed law group rebrands following latest acquisition, with ambitions for national footprint
Scottish private equity firm Aliter Capital has completed its third law firm acquisition in two years, in a move which will see the creation of a new legal group with a headcount of 150 and a combined revenue of £23 million. Full-service firm Orwins will be the new brand for Manchester-based BBS Law, acquired by […]
Commonhold the sticking point as government told to go ‘further and faster’ on leasehold reform
The government needs to go “further and faster” on leasehold reform, the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee says in its report published this week on the proposed Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. But there are “changes and additions” needed to meet leaseholder expectations, notably around conversion to commonhold, a key part of the […]
‘Mistakes have been made’ – SRA chair steps down with apology to profession
Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) chair Anna Bradley has stepped down after eight years in the role, with the formal process for identifying her successor beginning on 1st June. In a statement published on the SRA website, Bradley said she had seen “very significant change in the legal sector” during her tenure, and it was the […]
Test demonstrates how property data sharing could work
A sandbox test has shown for the first time how trusted property data can be accessed, verified and shared securely. The Smart Property Data Trust Framework ‘sandbox’ – a safe environment to test software – is a government-backed initiative designed to create a controlled environment where organisations can securely share property data. Funded by a […]