Research reveals steep decline in planning permission for major residential developments
An analysis of government data by legal and property tech company Search Acumen reveals the number of planning permissions granted for major residential developments in England has declined by as much as 43% within the last decade. In 2024, 3,744 major residential developments were granted planning permission – significantly lower than peaks seen in 2016 […]
Government figures reveal 22% increase in mortgage possessions
Official statistics from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) covering April to June show a 22% increase in mortgage possession claims compared to the same period last year, with orders up by 31%, warrants up 28% and repossessions by country court bailiffs up 32%. The government figures paint a less favourable picture than mortgage arrears and […]
Strategic partnerships fundamental for house building at scale, report finds
Following the news that a merger between London and Continental Railways Limited and Network Rail’s property development team will facilitate the delivery of 40,000 new homes, a new report from law firm Winckworth Sherwood suggests strategic partnerships are ‘fundamental’ in enabling residential developers to deliver at scale. The law firm reports that 67% of residential […]
Falling mortgage arrears ‘reflect market resilience’ – UK Finance
The trade association for the UK banking and financial services sector has reported a reduction in the number of homeowner mortgages in arrears, with overall possession numbers ‘significantly lower’ than long-term averages. The Q2 mortgage arrears and possessions data from UK Finance – released as RICS members reported a gloomier near-term outlook for the property […]
OPDA launches YouTube channel to demystify data for property sector
A YouTube channel launched by the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) aims to help professionals working within the property and mortgage sectors make sense of data and digital homebuying. The channel includes a growing library of videos that explain the ‘complex but critical’ changes shaping the future of homebuying. Three playlists are tailored towards different […]
Firm news: Appointments and expansions
Thames Valley law firm Blandy & Blandy has appointed a new partner in its growing residential property team, while Midlands legal services business Wright Hassall has welcomed three new starters. And in Warwick, Moore & Tibbits has expanded into 12,000 square feet of modern office space to accommodate the 20 new fee-earning staff it aims […]
Borrowers increasingly favour short-term mortgage deals over long-term stability
Short-term fixed-rate mortgage products have reached record levels of popularity, according to new data from Twenty7tec, with interest in longer-term options falling to the lowest level ever. Analysis by the mortgage tech platform shows a 43.29% drop in the number of searches for 10-year fixed mortgages since May, while deals for two years or less […]
Conveyancing Association welcomes ntitle as affiliate member
Title investigation specialist ntitle has been welcomed as an affiliate member by the Conveyancing Association (CA), joining the 200 solicitors and licensed conveyancers who collectively conduct around 14% of all property transactions and 62% of all remortgage transactions in England and Wales. The not-for-profit representative body for the conveyancing industry said ntitle’s membership will be […]
Mortgage arrears down in ‘promising sign’ affordability pressures are easing
Mortgage arrears are down across all regions of the UK* for the first time since the cost-of-living crisis began, according to data from global credit intelligence company Pepper Advantage. Overall UK arrears, which include residential and buy-to-let mortgages, dropped by 4.4% in Q2 2025 compared to the previous quarter – the first widespread improvement since […]
Homes England appoints ex prisons chief Amy Rees CB as CEO
Ex prisons chief Amy Rees CB has been appointed the new chief executive officer of Homes England, tasked with leading the agency’s mission to tackle the housing crisis and deliver 1.5 million new homes over the course of the current Parliament. Rees joins Homes England after serving as interim permanent secretary at the Ministry of […]
Consultant firm sees five-fold increase in headcount over last five years
Against a backdrop of employees being encouraged back into the office according to the latest KPMG CEO report, a consultant-style law firm has reported a five fold increase in the number of consultant solicitors in the last five years. AIIC Group (AIIC), the legal group behind Taylor Rose, FDR Law and Kingsley Wood, says it […]
SRA awards £360,000 for disadvantaged candidates to take SQE
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has awarded £360,000 to 11 organisations to support people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the cost of sitting the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The organisations provide a range of legal, educational and social mobility services across England and Wales, ranging from making the legal industry more accessible to people from underrepresented […]
Property market ‘strongest it’s been since 2022’
An analysis of government data and Bank of England figures by comparison website GetAgent suggests that the UK property market is the strongest it’s been since 2022, with both mortgage approvals and transactions at their highest level for three years. The analysis shows that a total of 623,500 property transactions took place across the UK […]
Solicitor loses bid to be restored to roll after ‘systemic’ failures led to £1.2 million fraud
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has refused to restore a solicitor to the roll after he was struck off in 2021 for a series of regulatory and supervision breaches that resulted in a £1.2 million fraud. Charles James Ete, sole equity partner and owner of Charles Ete & Co Solicitors and sole principal and owner of […]
e4 Strategic joins OPDA to support streamlining of property data
Digital solutions provider e4 Strategic has joined the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) to support the streamlining of property data between conveyancers, lenders and other stakeholders in the homebuying process. The company, which recently launched digital conveyancing platform VERSA, said OPDA’s goals ‘fit perfectly’ with its mission to improve digital solutions and infrastructure in the […]
Law firm Bell Lamb & Joynson passes £5m milestone in record-breaking year
North-west law firm Bell Lamb & Joynson is celebrating a record-breaking financial year, with turnover from client fees rising by 17.79% to reach £5.2 million – the first time in the firm’s 200 year history that it’s surpassed the £5 million mark. The successful year has also seen the firm expand its team by a […]
Covid KC to speak at LawShare Conference 2025
The annual LawShare conference returns to the five-star Lowry Hotel in Manchester on Thursday 9th October, covering pertinent issues surrounding the running of a law firm. The conference has welcomed a variety of speakers in previous years including Law Society Gazette Deputy News Editor John Hyde, and Shaun Wallace – known as ‘The Dark Destroyer’ […]
New digital platform ‘will address genuine needs’ in conveyancing process
A new digital platform launched by property technology company e4 Strategic aims to ‘modernise post-offer processes and improve efficiency in the conveyancing process’ to ‘address the genuine needs’ of conveyancers and lenders. The VERSA platform has been built to address what e4 Strategic says is ‘one of the most persistent challenges to the UK property […]
Steep drop in residential construction ‘should ring alarm bells in government’
A ‘fresh and sharp drop’ in construction activity that has seen residential building fall to its lowest level since since May 2020 is a serious a wake up call for the government, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said. Data from S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) shows ‘a considerable slump’ in […]
Research from high street banks highlights struggle to get on the property ladder
Reports released this week by TSB and Barclays have highlighted the difficulties faced by many people who want to get on the property ladder, with 80% of first-time buyers moving back in with their parents to cut costs, and the number of renters saving for a deposit hitting a six-month low. The TSB report revealed […]