Country market favours buyers as prices fall and instructions rise
Research from Knight Frank reveals that new sales instructions in the Country market – covering a range of urban and rural markets above £750,000 outside London – have jumped by 9% since last year. The second quarter of 2025 was the most favourable market for buyers in the Country for seven years, according to the […]
Interactive map shows potential home buyers affordable locations
Home moving comparison website reallymoving has launched an interactive map that shows would-be home buyers the locations with the greatest choice of properties within their budget. The map can be searched by budget and number of bedrooms to identify the locations where properties are likely to be most affordable. Searches can then be concentrated within […]
Groundsure wins Agent’s Giving Award for Best Industry Supplier Fundraising
Environmental property due diligence provider Groundsure has been recognised for their commitment to charitable causes after raising nearly £80,000 from June 2024 to June 2025. At the annual Agent’s Giving Awards, Groundsure picked up the Best Industry Supplier Fundraising award for their commitment to ‘creating meaningful change in the communities around us.’ From June 2024 to June […]
National Property Transaction Network welcomes 15 major lenders following successful pilot
The National Property Transaction Network (NPTN), an open and secure digital platform developed by legal tech company LMS, has welcomed 15 major lenders to the initiative, which aims to digitise and modernise UK property transactions. Gen H, HSBC UK Bank Plc, LiveMore, Lloyds Banking Group, Loughborough Building Society, Melton Building Society, Molo, NatWest Group, Newcastle […]
Lenders given more flexibility when assessing mortgage affordability
The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) has recommended an amendment to the loan to income (LTI) flow limit that will give lenders more flexibility to grant mortgages to buyers who can demonstrate affordability. The FPC recommends that the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) amend implementation of the LTI […]
Enquiries management tool branches out into document review
Legal technology platform Legalito, which has predominantly focused on managing pre-contract enquiries between conveyancing firms to date, has announced it is introducing a new document review element to its offering. Legalito was launched by Peter Ambrose, Managing Director of conveyancing ABS The Partnership, borne out of his frustrations in managing the lengthening enquiries process. According […]
Agency boss calls for stamp duty costs to be spread over five years
The head of a property services group has launched a government petition to allow home-buyers to spread stamp duty costs over two to five years, instead of paying the full amount within 14 days. David Powell, CEO of Andrews Property Group, believes offering buyers the choice between paying in full or spreading the cost over […]
New Aconveyancing MD Ben Davidson will focus on ‘reducing strain’ for conveyancers
Aconveyancing has appointed Ben Davidson as its new managing director, a move the firm says signals ‘a bold new chapter of strategic growth and operational leadership’. Davidson said his new role will focus on reducing strain between conveyancers and estate agents, with a strong focus on performance. He commented: “I’m excited to be able to get […]
CMA probe into major developers leads to £100m boost for affordable housing
An investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into seven major housing developers has resulted in a likely £100 million boost for affordable housing projects – although none of the developers admit any liability or wrongdoing for the conduct subject to investigation. Barratt Redrow, Bellway, Berkeley Group, Bloor Homes, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey and Vistry […]
SA Law appoints new head of residential conveyancing and marks 20th anniversary
St Albans and London-based firm SA Law has appointed Catherine Banks as head of residential conveyancing following the retirement of Steve Kenneford, who has stepped down after two decades at the firm. Banks brings extensive experience in residential property matters and has advised clients on all aspects of residential transactions, including sales, purchases, and equity […]
RICS remains cautious despite ‘encouraging’ signs of market stabilisation
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors UK Residential Survey for June paints a positive picture of demand – although RICS remains cautious despite ‘encouraging’ signs of stabilisation in the market. The monthly sentiment survey of chartered surveyors operating in the residential sales market shows a new buyer enquiries measure of +3 – the first positive […]
Fifth of buyers have pulled out of purchases, while half want Scottish-style rules
A survey by Compare My Move suggests that up to a fifth of home-buyers have pulled out of their purchase before completion, while half of those questioned said Scottish-style rules would improve the moving experience. The survey of 2,000 adults in England and Wales found that more than half of those questioned (52%) said they […]
New report on title solution launched by NAVRO
A report on title software solution has been launched by NAVRO aiming to provide a new approach to one of the ‘most time-consuming stages in the conveyancing process.’ ART, an automated report on title solution, can review key documents such as Leases, Title Registers, and Searches, including over 350 councils with more to come said […]
BoE credit survey shows increase in mortgage demand
The latest Credit Conditions Survey from the Bank of England shows an increase in demand for secured lending for both house purchase and remortgaging in Q2. Lenders said they expect the demand for remortgaging to continue into Q3, but expected demand for house purchase borrowing to decrease. The survey is based on changes reported by […]
Judiciary has ‘work to do’ to achieve diversity
The government has released the latest official statistics related to the diversity of the judiciary, prompting the president of the Law Society of England and Wales to call for ‘significant progress to level the playing field’. The data, which covers legal professions, new appointments and current post-holders for the last 12 months, shows an overall […]
‘A market firing on all cylinders’ – response to Nationwide price index
Nationwide’s House Price Index for June shows a slight slowing of growth, at 2.1% compared to 3.5% in May. The building society said the dip could be due to weaker demand – but property experts disagree, with one saying the figures are a sign of ‘a market firing on all cylinders’. Although chief economist Robert […]
Annual AML data collection to start this week
The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s annual AML and sanction data collection will start this week, with firms required to provide information about AML and financial sanctions activity and how it’s managed. All regulated firms must provide the SRA with information on work carried out within the scope of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of […]
CLC seeks views in latest confidence tracker survey
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is once again running its Quarterly Confidence Tracker to gather the views of the profession on the current state of home buying and selling. The regulator says the results will help it monitor the mood of the market and how it changes over time. Launched at the start of […]
Talbots acquires Tinsdills as M&A activity ramps up
Stourbridge headquartered Talbots has announced the acquisition of Tinsdills Solicitors, in what it describes as a ‘strategic expansion’ into North Staffordshire and Cheshire . Talbots’ offices stretch across the Black Country, Birmingham, Coventry, Shropshire and Worcestershire and with the acquisition of Tinsdills, their footprint now encompasses Leek, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sandbach and Stoke-on-Trent and total of 19 […]
tmGroup signs up to Conveyancing Information Executive
The Conveyancing Information Executive (CIE) has welcomed conveyancing technology and data company tmGroup as an associate member. The tmGroup will work closely with the CIE – which promotes best practice, transparency and innovation in the provision of conveyancing search information – to help ‘drive excellence within a recognised and trusted professional standards community’. ‘By becoming […]