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 […]
Climate risk compliance note outlines data providers’ duty of care to conveyancers
A trade body for search and property data providers has released a compliance note on climate risk reporting to members, outlining clear definitions of data currently used in climate reports, minimum service standards and expectations for how members will maintain and refine the data “in accordance with the evolving market and stakeholder requirements”. The Conveyancing […]
LSB announces preferred candidate for OLC chair
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced Richard Blakeway as its preferred candidate for the post of chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC). The LSB’s recommendation, which came about after an open competition, has been approved by the minister of state for justice, Sarah Sackman KC MP. Blakeway was appointed as housing ombudsman […]
CILEX opens submissions at Mazur appeal
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has opened submissions at the Court of Appeal in its appeal against the ruling in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys, which limited the extent to which legal executives and paralegals can conduct litigation. Nick Bacon KC outlined the arguments from CILEX before Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey […]
Separating compliance roles ‘complex and impractical’ Law Society says in client money consultation response
Proposals which would insist on separate post holders for roles of Compliance Office for Legal Practice (COLP), Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA), Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), Senior Reporting Officer (SRO) amongst other compliance-related roles in law firms are ‘complex and impractical’ say the Law Society in their response to the Solicitors Regulation […]
Superman Sam tackles the Artic Circle for children’s charity
A principal of a conveyancing firm based in Wales is raising money for a children’s charity by attempting to walk and run 500 kilometres across the Arctic circle in just five days. Sam Hawking, principal of Sam Hawking Property Lawyers, is taking part in the Lapland Arctic Ultra Challenge in the Swedish Arctic and […]
‘Intelligent’ search pack offers most cost-effective property due diligence
Property search platform PALI has announced its proprietary automated search pack tool is now available as part of the firm’s API. Developed over the course of the last few years, Intelligent Search Pack (ISP) is a search tool that recommends the most cost-effective property due diligence searches to ensure all the prospective risks associated with […]
Conveyancers call for wider industry support in the wake of PM Law closure
The personal stories of the impact the PM Law closure has had on home movers has been widely publicised in the national press with families in limbo, and many left paying two mortgages as redemption funds were caught up in the fallout from the stricken firm. A Facebook group set up by those affected now […]
HMRC confirms tax adviser registration rules
HMRC has published its updated guidance on the requirement to register as a tax adviser and the conditions individuals and firms must meet. Every business which interacts with HMRC about someone else’s tax affairs and receives payment for doing so must register for an agent services account from 18 May. ‘Interaction’ is classed as dealing […]
One week to go… Register now for National Conveyancing Month 2026
An initiative to support conveyancers and promote their role across the home moving sector returns in March with a refreshed format and a swathe of new content. National Conveyancing Month, previously National Conveyancing Week, returns from Monday 2nd March to allow for even greater industry wide participation and engagement. The thinking behind extending the initiative […]
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 […]
SRA ‘will profile law firms’ to identify warning signs of collapse
The Solicitors Regulation Authority will profile law firms to help identify those at risk of collapse, chief executive Sarah Rapson (pictured) has said. Speaking to the Law Society Gazette this week, Rapson said the SRA will prioritise proactive action and “getting ahead of the risks” in the wake of high-profile failures at Axiom Ince, SSB […]
LMS and PEXA join Bank of England synchronisation lab to test house purchase payments
LMS and PEXA have been selected to take part in the Bank of England’s Synchronisation Lab, which has been set up to test business models for synchronising payments across the financial services sector. The tech companies are the only two participants selected for the ‘house purchase’ element of the BoE’s synchronisation testing. “In October 2025, […]
‘Significant digital change just around the corner’, CA annual conference hears
Significant digital change and improvement is happening and will gather momentum throughout 2026, according to a number of speakers at this year’s Conveyancing Association Annual Conference, where the representative body celebrated its 25th anniversary. With the theme of Conveyancing Under the Spotlight, participants heard analysis, viewpoints and input from property industry figures, consumers and digital […]
Leaseholders deterred from making complaints, report finds
New analysis from The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), a government-funded advisory body providing free and impartial initial legal advice to leaseholders and park homeowners, spotlights how the current complexity of the leasehold redress system is deterring leaseholders from pursuing and resolving complaints. The survey of 247 leaseholders revealed that many are not escalating complaints because […]
IRN conveyancing report finds cause for ‘cautious optimism’
The latest UK Residential Conveyancing Market Report from IRN Legal Reports reveals a second consecutive year of growth, and offers “cautious optimism” for 2026, its authors say. The volume of residential transactions in the UK increased for the second year running in 2025 following declines in 2022 and 2023, with volume growth reaching 10%. […]
‘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 […]
Law Society seeks applications for Diversity Access Scheme
Talented aspiring solicitors are invited to apply for a place on the profession’s Diversity Access Scheme (DAS), as the Law Society of England and Wales opens recruitment for the 2026 cohort. The DAS aims to promote social mobility and increase diversity within the legal profession by supporting individuals who face social, educational, financial or personal […]
MHCLG needs to act quickly to ‘unlock land’ for 713,000 homes, says NAO
A new report stresses that the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) will need to swiftly build on the ‘unlocking land’ work it has started if it is to deliver the homes the country needs. The National Audit Office’s (NAO) latest report, Unlocking land for housing, examines whether MHCLG’s programmes to increase the supply […]
SRA confirms ‘potential fraud and missing client money’ at PM Law
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has formally confirmed it is investigating “potential fraud, including the misappropriation of client money” at the Sheffield-based law firm PM Law after it unexpectedly closed on Monday 2nd February. In a statement published on the SRA website, Jonathan Peddie, executive director of legal and enforcement, confirmed the regulator is looking into […]