Optimistic start to the year for RICS, as ‘housing market finds its feet’
The latest UK Residential Market Survey from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) sees the year start on an optimistic note, with members reporting “significantly more positive” near-term and 12-month sales expectations. Although the UK housing market remained “soft” at the end of 2025, RICS members report a return of confidence along with positive […]
End of year mortgage activity fell, but data points to stable 2026
Mortgage market activity slowed sharply in December, reflecting the typical seasonal pause at the end of the year, but underlying data points to a stronger overall position than seen earlier in the autumn, according to the latest Twenty7tec Market Snapshot report. Total mortgage searches reached 1,088,120 in December, down 22.6% month on month compared with […]
Houzecheck survey volumes up 75% in 12 months
Houzecheck, the property technology platform that uses cloud, digital and AI technologies to provide RICS Level 2 Homebuyer Surveys, RICS Level 3 Building Surveys, and property valuations through a network of accredited RICS-registered surveyors, says its surveying volumes have grown by 75% over the course of 2025. The company attributes the increase to the investment […]
Regional firms celebrate successes and milestones
Regional law firms are celebrating their successes this month, with new offices, a milestone anniversary and accolades from teams. Bell Lamb & Joynson (pictured) has re-established its presence in Liverpool with the opening of a new city centre office, which the firm says marks a significant milestone in its growth across the north west. The […]
Homes England announces £165 million financing deal for 2000 new homes
Homes England, alongside HSBC and NatWest, will provide regional home builder Allison Homes with a £165 million finance facility to support the building of 2,000 new homes across the East of England, the Midlands and South West. The refinancing package marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth strategy, enabling it to accelerate land acquisition […]
October was busiest month for moving in 2025, bucking summer trend
An analysis of house move data by Compare My Move has revealed Halloween was the busiest day for home moves in 2025, with October the busiest month overall. A review of more than 170,000 moves arranged through the comparison platform found just under 2,500 people moved home on 31 October. The summer months have traditionally […]
National firms report strong growth in latest financial results
Setfords, Knights and Ward Hadaway have reported strong growth in their latest financial results, with the latter enjoying record turnover of £53.6 million in 2025/25, up 11.6% year-on-year. The firm, which recently merged with Teesside firm The Endeavour Partnership and opened a new Birmingham office, is on target to achieve its objectives of turnover growth […]
LSB appoints Richard Orpin as new CEO
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has appointed Richard Orpin (pictured) as its new chief executive officer (CEO). Orpin joined the LSB in 2023 as director of regulation and policy and has almost 20 years of experience in regulation and government. He has been interim chief executive at the LSB since summer 2025. The appointment was […]
Home buyers favour lawyers over estate agents when it comes to sharing data, survey finds
New research from identity verification provider Credas Technologies has revealed a stark trust gap in the property sector, with just 35% of UK homebuyers saying they trust estate agents with their personal data compared to 75% for law firms. The survey of 1,000 UK consumers found that misuse of data (77%), identity theft (73%), and […]
CLC seeks views on market confidence in first tracker survey of 2026
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has launched its first Quarterly Confidence Tracker for 2026 and is seeking views from the sector. The regulator is running the survey to gauge the current state of the market for home buyers and sellers and establish how it’s changing over time. The CLC is particularly keen to hear view […]
Property duo launch recruitment and consultancy firm to serve sector
Property duo Nicola and Paul Broomham have launched a new recruitment and retention consultancy targeted at the property sector. The husband and wife team say that 2point0 Group, which blends recruitment, consultancy and leadership coaching, will help property businesses to “reduce hiring risk, navigate change, and grow sustainably”. Between them, Nicola and Paul bring over 50 years’ experience across […]
NHBC Standards updated for 2026
New homes warranty and insurance provider NHBC has released the latest edition of its standards. The NHBC standards inform builders and developers of the technical and performance standards required by new homes registered with NHBC. Updated annually, the NHBC says the standards support builders and developers to deliver high quality new homes and that they are “rigorously reviewed to […]
Conveyancing sector responds to home buying reforms
With the government’s consultations on home buying reform and material information coming to an end, organisations within the conveyancing sector have shared their responses. The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) backs plans to regulate estate agents, and says failure to do so risks undermining the reforms. All key players within the conveyancing process must “have […]
Residential transactions up – industry predicts a positive year ahead
Seasonally adjusted residential transactions increased by 1% in November, from 99,060 in October 2025 to 100,350 in November 2025 – the highest seasonally adjusted residential transaction figure since March 2025. Non-seasonally adjusted residential transactions decreased by 12% in November relative to the previous month. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions also increased, with November seeing a 13% […]
MoJ sets out plans to fund justice system with interest on client accounts
The government has set out proposals to use interest on lawyers’ client accounts as “a crucial source of funding” to support and enhance services in the justice system. Funds would be directed to “areas of greatest need”, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement. The Interest on Lawyers’ Clients Accounts Scheme (ILCA) will see […]
No relief for ‘high risk’ conveyancers in latest round of AML penalties
Conveyancers continue to attract significant penalties from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) due to lax AML controls in the “high-risk” sector. In its latest round of published decisions, the SRA has shared eight instances of firms with large volumes of conveyancing work, which the regulatory body views as being at high risk of exploitation from […]
HMCTS updates solicitor rates, with recommended fees now up to £579 an hour
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has updated its guideline hourly rates for solicitors, with a recommended 2.28% increase effective from 1 January. The increase will see the top hourly rate (a grade A fee earner in the London 1 category) rise to £579, with the lowest rate (grade D fee earners in the National […]
New case management system claims to give fee earners up to an hour a day back in lost billing time
A newly launched case management system will aim to recover over three quarters of a million pounds in billable capacity for a typical high street practice, say its creators. The technology integrates artificial intelligence and a single sign-on platform which they say will save an hour a day for fee earners. The claim has been […]
Housing market chilled in December, Halifax reveals
The Halifax House Price Index for December recorded a dip of -0.6%, following a -0.1% fall in November. The average property price is now £297,755, the lowest since June. “While this may feel like a subdued close to the housing market in 2025, overall activity levels were resilient over the last year and broadly in […]
Conveyancing Foundation raises £1.3m for charity, with new initiatives planned for 2026
The Conveyancing Foundation celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2025, a decade in which the organisation achieved its objective of enhancing the lives of those working in the property industry – and raised £1.3 million for charitable causes. In the coming year, the foundation aims to emulate and surpass its success, guided by co-chairs Rob […]