Category: Latest News

The signage outside the Bank of England viewed from below

Mortgage approvals down, but conditions indicate ‘strong spring selling season’

6 January 2026

A view of Portcullis House, with Big Ben to the left

Conveyancing experts give evidence to Affordability of Home Ownership inquiry – watch live

6 January 2026

PII and Start-ups

Estate agents must be held to same high standards as conveyancers or reforms will fail, warns CLC

6 January 2026

A small toy house next to a magnifying glass with handwritten question marks on pieces of paper

CILEX calls for stronger regulation of high-volume conveyancing sector to support homebuying reforms

6 January 2026

A row of partially completed semi-detached houses

New home planning permission at 15-year low, as HBF warns of ‘viability crisis’

6 January 2026

Kent law firm Brachers has completed the acquisition of fellow Kent firm Gill Turner Tucker. The acquisition comes a year after Brachers’ partnership with private equity-backed Lawfront, in a deal which took the national group of regional law firms past £100 million revenue. The acquisition brings together two firms with deep roots in Kent: Gill Turner Tucker has served clients in Maidstone for over 70 years, while Brachers has operated in the county for 130 years. Brachers’ decision to join Lawfront in February 2025 was driven by the firm’s commitment to growing and enhancing its services and its people, it said, with Lawfront’s investment providing the necessary investment to move forward with these strategic priorities. The acquisition of Gill Turner Tucker enables Brachers to strengthen its regional presence and offer clients a broader range of expertise, while Gill Turner Tucker gains access to additional resources and specialist knowledge by becoming part of Brachers and the Lawfront group. Clients of both firms can expect a seamless transition, Brachers said, with existing staff remaining in place backed by the additional resources of a larger group. “We are thrilled to welcome Gill Turner Tucker into Brachers,” said Jo Worby, managing partner at Brachers. “This acquisition reflects our shared commitment to delivering exceptional client service and strengthens our ability to support businesses and individuals across Kent. It also demonstrates the benefits of our partnership with Lawfront, which has enabled us to invest in growth for the benefit of our clients.” “Joining Brachers is an exciting opportunity for our clients and team,” Robert Green, partner at Gill Turner Tucker, commented. “It allows us to maintain our local roots while benefiting from the resources and expertise of a larger firm and the wider Lawfront group. Our clients will continue to receive the personal service they value, with the added advantage of wider specialist support.” Neil Lloyd, CEO of Lawfront, added: “Supporting our firms to achieve their growth ambitions is at the heart of Lawfront’s strategy. Brachers’ first acquisition of Gill Turner Tucker is a significant milestone and demonstrates how investment and collaboration can create exciting opportunities for clients and teams alike. We’re delighted to welcome Gill Turner Tucker to Lawfront and into Brachers.” The acquisition demonstrates Brachers commitment to investing in Kent, the firm said, while reinforcing its position as a leading law firm in the area: Brachers is recognised in The Times ‘Best Law Firms 2026’ list, accredited as an ‘outstanding’ place to work by Best Companies, and named as a Best Companies ‘Top 15 Best Law Firm To Work For’. Image caption: Robert Green, Partner; Lachlan Donaldson, Partner; James Kent, Partner; Joanna Worby, Managing Partner

Brachers completes acquisition of Gill Turner Tucker following Lawfront deal

6 January 2026

digital property logbook

RLBA calls on government to empower homeowners in property data revolution

5 January 2026

Thank you for reading and happy holidays!

23 December 2025

A close-up of a handshake over a contract with a small model house placed on it

Time to exchange now 123 days – up two days in a year

22 December 2025

A campaign poster calling for leashold reform tied to railings

Leasehold campaigners ‘deeply disappointed’ by govt failure to act on reform

22 December 2025

New build estate rentcharges

Government launches consultations on rentcharges and mandatory adoption on private estates

22 December 2025

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament pictured from across the Thames, with the buildings reflected in the calm water

Landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill becomes law

22 December 2025

Four small blocks with houses printed on them, with question marks above each block

Conveyancing Task Force urges govt to adopt ‘legally sound’ reforms following MHCLG meeting

22 December 2025

Jonathan Rees

Mazur response a key focus for CILEx Regulation, as it sets out 2026 corporate plan

22 December 2025

The signage outside the Bank of England viewed from below

Bank Rate cut ‘will spur buyer demand”

19 December 2025

Sold signs outside a block of flats

2025 was strongest for home sales in three years, Zoopla says

19 December 2025

Legal sector value jumps to over £50bn as LSB outlines plans for future regulation

19 December 2025

AML Single Professional Services Supervisor

Law Society ‘strongly opposes’ proposed switch to AML regulation under the FCA

18 December 2025

The exterior sign of the Bank of England building

Could falling inflation lead to reduction in Bank of England base rate?

18 December 2025

Rightmove 2025 Greener Homes Report

Green credentials increasingly used as selling points for property sales despite limited progress on energy efficiency initiatives

18 December 2025

The letters AML on small wooden cubes placed on a clipboard next to a pen

Lawyers fear AML reforms could endanger legal privilege, poll finds

18 December 2025

A large newbuild development of flats and houses surrounded by countryside

Housing secretary proposes ‘significant rewrite’ of planning rules for ‘biggest housebuilding surge in a generation’

17 December 2025

The Law Society sign shot from below

Law Society rejects LeO budget increase; CLC accepts ‘with great reluctance’

17 December 2025

Lords Committee Cladding Report

Lords committee criticises unacceptable BSA delays that are ‘significantly longer’ than statutory target

17 December 2025

Conveyd-co-founders-Manasi-Kulkarni-and-Stephen-Cowley.

AI conveyancing platform Conveyd raises £2.5m in seed funding, aims to ‘dramatically speed up’ process

17 December 2025

A man in a workshop surrounded by tools leans over a workstation containing an open laptop, while talking on the phone and taking notes.

‘Under-served’ consumers to receive lending boost under new FCA mortgage plans

16 December 2025

A close-up of a Halifax sign, with the bare branches of a tree in winter in the foreground

After a steady 2025, Halifax predicts a housing market of modest growth in 2026

16 December 2025

Regulation of cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency to be regulated under plans to bring it in line with financial services

16 December 2025

A house shape is cut out of a piece of white paper in the shape of a speech bubble, set against a blue background

Property market ‘settling’ and ‘strengthening’, estate agents suggest in latest insight report

16 December 2025

SRA Client money consultation

SRA targets COLPs and COFAs in latest client money crackdown

15 December 2025

A close up of hands working on a laptop, with an overlaid graphic of a house and charts

10,000 fewer property transactions in 2026, UK Finance predicts

15 December 2025

Nationwide Building Society

Nationwide fined £44m by the FCA for AML failures

15 December 2025