Government shares update on new local plan regulations
The government has shared details of its plans to implement changes to the local plan-making system, which will be in force in early 2026. Regulations to implement the new system, set out in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, will be laid out in Parliament ‘shortly’, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said, […]
British Conveyancing Awards 2026: Entries close today and tickets launch with special Cyber Monday offer
Tickets for the British Conveyancing Awards 2026, sponsored by Groundsure, have been launched today (Monday 1st December) with a special Cyber Monday discount. This week only (Monday 1st December to Friday 5th December 2025), if five tickets are booked for the awards, the sixth ticket is free (half table). If 10 tickets are booked, a […]
LSB seeks feedback on encouraging diversity in legal sector
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has shared new proposals that aim to support equality and diversity in the legal profession and is inviting feedback from across the sector. The proposals would replace existing guidance published in 2017 and amended in 2020, setting out a new framework for regulators to drive consistent improvement across the sector. The consultation – open now until 2 March – […]
Will budget measures boost government plans to build 1.5m new homes? Industry experts react
In a statement released yesterday, the minister of state for housing, Matthew Pennycook, said the budget ‘brings with it the prospect of thousands of new homes’, along with ‘hundreds more planners to turbocharge housebuilding ‘. ‘In terms of housing, thousands of much-needed new homes are set to be unlocked in London through the extension of […]
Law Society responds to budget: ‘Legal sector won’t face damaging tax hikes’
The Law Society of England and Wales says it is ‘pleased the UK government has listened to its concerns and will not be imposing a damaging tax on limited liability partnerships’. The legal sector is ‘a global powerhouse’ worth almost £60 billion and employing more than half a million people, connecting ‘every part of the […]
As mansion tax rumours become fact, expert share their views on its impact
Of the many rumoured changes to the system of property taxation, the mansion tax – or ‘high value council tax surcharge’ – was the only significant measure introduced by the chancellor in her autumn budget. From 2028, an annual ‘high value council tax surcharge’ of £2,500 for properties worth between £2-5 million and £7,500 for […]
Now the wait is over, how will the housing market react to the budget?
A Rightmove survey of 10,000 potential movers carried out before the budget found almost one in five (17%) had paused their plans due to uncertainty about any potential changes to property taxes. Now the wait is over, and many of the rumoured changes failed to materialise, what does that mean for the housing market? Experts […]
Landlords lose out in the budget, but tenants will pay the price
In her budget speech yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was committed to creating a fairer system and would ‘ensure that the wealthiest will contribute the most’. Announcing a two percentage point increase in the basic and higher rate of tax on property income, she pointed out that under the current system, a landlord earning […]
The wait is over for housing market as chancellor announces muted changes to property taxes
Following weeks of speculation as to what the autumn budget may hold for property taxes, prompting home buyers and sellers to adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to moving, the chancellor’s measures for the housing market have been muted in comparison to the ‘chaotic’ build-up. The rumoured overhaul of the stamp duty system failed to […]
Lammy’s plans to scrap jury trials for most crimes go too far, Law Society says
Just days after the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution warned of increasing distrust in the legal system that placed the rule of law under threat, Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy is set to propose the scrapping of jury trials for most crimes. Under the proposals, juries will only decide murder, […]
The Conveyancing Association to hold online roundtable to gather home buying consultation responses
The Conveyancing Association (CA) will hold an online roundtable on 3 December 2025 to secure feedback for the government’s consultations on home buying reform and material information. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) is seeking industry feedback on its planned home buying reforms, which aim to reduce delays, fall-throughs and uncertainty in […]
CILEX granted permission to appeal Mazur ruling
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has been granted permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the Mazur judgment. Although not party to the original proceedings, CILEX applied for permission earlier this month, relying on the Court of Appeal’s discretion to permit an appeal brought by a person adversely affected by the […]
OneDome acquires Mortgage Intelligence from Connells group
OneDome has acquired mortgage and insurance network Mortgage Intelligence from Connells Group, in a deal which significantly expands the housing and fintech business’s mortgage distribution footprint. The combined group, which also includes Life and Easy Limited and Mortgage Next Network Limited, will now arrange over £10 billion of mortgages annually. The acquisition positions OneDome as […]
Mansion tax looks increasingly likely, as chancellor expected to raise £450m from revaluing higher council tax bands
Chancellor Rachel Reeves plans to raise up to £450 million from a levy on high-value homes collected through council tax bills, according to a report in The Times. Revaluing properties in council tax bands F, G and H will affect more than 100,000 homes, with a surcharge averaging £4,500 and owners of the more expensive […]
Harmful rhetoric and mistrust of legal profession undermine the rule of law, House of Lords report finds
The rule of law is under threat from a lack of access to justice, mistrust of the legal profession and politicians, and a lack of education and knowledge, according to a new report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution. The report – the result of a nine-month long inquiry including 14 […]
PM’s comments on digital ID ‘misleading’, solicitor says
A social media post by the prime minister that suggested the use of digital ID in home buying would ‘be done in seconds and wipe out the costs’ was misleading, a residential property partner claims. In the post on social media site X, the prime minister wrote: “I recently spoke with someone buying a house […]
Propertymark Trust director Michael Day releases Christmas charity single
A well known property industry figure has written and recorded a Christmas charity single to raise money for Diabetes UK and The Propertymark Trust. Michael Day, who founded consultancy Integra Property Services in 2003 and is a director and trustee at The Propertymark Trust, sings and plays acoustic guitar on Merry Christmas and a Happy […]
Support LawTech and reassess reserved activities to boost legal sector, MoJ report finds
The legal sector of the future will be centred on tech-driven cross-border solutions built around individual needs, according to a new report commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. The report also questions whether reserved activities ‘continue to make sense in an increasingly digital world’. The report, produced by specialist legal advisory firm Hook Tangaza, offers […]
Government-backed cross-sector coalition aims to boost digitalisation of home buying
A government-backed cross-sector coalition to coordinate initiatives that enable digitalisation in the property market has been launched by the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT). The Open Property Coalition will build on existing research, industry pilots and stakeholder initiatives to explore how emerging technologies can ‘re-imagine’ the home buying process. Organisations backing the coalition include […]
CILEx shares update on practice rights amid ‘distress and uncertainty’
CILEx Regulation (CRL), the independent regulatory body of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, has shared an update on the litigation practice rights of chartered legal executives, saying it understands ‘the significant distress and uncertainty the judgment has caused’. Since the Mazur judgment was handed down by Justice Sheldon just over two months ago, CRL […]