Fully digital homebuyer service launched by Lloyds Banking Group, LMS and Connells Group
Lloyds Banking Group, LMS and Connells Group have launched a fully digital home buying service, which the partners say will reshape the way homes are bought and sold across England and Wales. The digital homebuyer service has been developed to eliminate the points of frustration and cut weeks of waiting and uncertainty from the process, […]
SRA is investigating £39.5m ‘sophisticated suspected fraud’ at PM Law
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed it is investigating a “sophisticated suspected fraud” at PM Law, following its intervention in February. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the regulator said it now believes the failure of the firm, headquartered in Sheffield (pictured) was due to the improper removal and misuse of around £39.5 million […]
FCA welcomes second cohort of AI-powered solutions for real world testing
As part of efforts to develop AI-powered fintech, the Financial Conduct Authority has announced its second cohort of organisations chosen to live test AI applications and “explore key questions around risk management and live monitoring to support the responsible deployment of AI for consumers and markets”. Eight new firms, including Coadjute, Barclays, Experian, Lloyds Banking […]
Simplify posts profits of £15m in latest accounts
Conveyancing and property services group Simplify has posted profits of £15 million in its latest accounts, which it says reinforces its position as the UK’s largest conveyancer. The group’s published accounts to March 2025 reveal an increase in turnover to £140.3 million, up from £120.1 million in 2024. Profit rose to £15.1 million from £6.3 […]
Rightmove’s data shows a housing market holding up despite earlier fears
The latest data from Rightmove reveals a “surprisingly resilient” housing market, with the real-time market snapshot showing new buyer demand for April 7% below this time last year but consistent with this year’s trend of lagging behind 2025. First-time buyer demand is slightly stronger, down by 6% on last year. However, the last seven days […]
Post-pandemic property boom fuels remortgage market as five-year deals come to an end
A near 25% increase in mortgage activity in the first quarter of 2025 was driven by a 46% increase in remortgaging as “rafts of borrowers” continue to come off ultra-low pandemic era mortgage products, according to the latest Mortgage Market Briefing from Stonebridge. The brokerage network says the surge was due to large number of […]
LSSA launches ESG policy to ‘support responsible innovation and trusted AI in legal technology’
The Legal Software Suppliers Association (LSSA) has responded to the growing use of artificial intelligence in technology by launching a new policy document on environmental, social and governance (ESG), setting out a framework to support responsible growth, ethical innovation and trusted digital transformation across the legal technology sector. The membership body says the policy reflects […]
‘Reform can’t come soon enough’, as time to exchange tops 19 weeks
The average time to exchange in the UK so far in 2026 is 134 days, or 4.4 months, according to the latest Property & Homemover Report from TwentyEA. The increase is backed up by data from Propertymark, whose member agents reported an average of 43% of housing transactions taking longer than 17 weeks to complete […]
Conveyancers say they’re unprepared for HMRC tax adviser changes
A Today’s Conveyancer poll has revealed only 10% of conveyancers are prepared for upcoming HMRC requirements to register as tax advisers, with the remaining 90% saying they’re unprepared (33%) or need more information (57%). From 18 May, tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of clients will be legally required to register as tax […]
Govt exceeds flood defence targets, but experts warn 1.2m homes are outside protection measures
The government has exceeded its flood defence targets by almost 10,000 properties, with almost 62,000 homes and businesses receiving protection over the last two years. Over £2.65 billion has been invested into flood defences by the government since 2024, resulting in 250 completed projects to repair and replace existing defences and construct new ones. According […]
FCA open finance roadmap ‘important step forward for property sector’
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out a roadmap for open data that will give consumers greater control over financial deals, and says it will examine how open finance can help consumers manage and improve access to mortgages. Open finance will offer people and businesses the potential to share their financial data securely with […]
Savings, cash gifts and mortgage-free purchases are biggest AML red flags
A discrepancy between the amount of savings declared by a buyer and the amount shown on their bank statement is the biggest red flag in anti-money laundering checks, according to data from client due diligence platform Thirdfort. Analysis of more than 415,000 completed Source of Funds (SoF) checks by the company revealed savings mismatches raised […]
Firms and people: The latest news, moves and announcements
MSB Solicitors has relocated its Birmingham operations to a larger office in Chamberlain Square and is recruiting for its property team in the city. “We are delighted to expand our operations in Birmingham following the recruitment to our family, crime and social housing teams and ahead of the appointments of our new property and litigation […]
Local authorities to receive an extra £41m for Renters’ Rights Act enforcement
The government has announced an extra £41 million for local authorities to cover the costs of enforcing the Renters’ Rights Act, in addition to £18 million announced last autumn. The £60 million in funding will be shared across 317 local authorities in England. From 1 May 2026, councils will have enhanced powers and obligations to […]
FCA consults on the interpretation of cryptoasset activities ahead of summer policy statements
Following confirmation the issuing, management and transfer of cryptoassets is to be regulated, the Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on its interpretation of cryptoassets activities ahead of the publication of policy statements in the summer. In December, the government confirmed cryptocurrency would become regulated, with providers required to register with the Financial Conduct […]
Nottinghamshire law firm transitions to employee owned trust
Nottinghamshire Law Firm Fidler & Pepper has announced the business has transitioned to an employee ownership trust (EOT) in a move it says is “designed to protect the legacy, values, culture and independence that have shaped the firm for more than a century”. An EOT is a business structure in which a company is owned […]
Q1 property trends are encouraging for conveyancers, Landmark report suggests
Residential property data for Q1 of 2026 contains encouraging trends for conveyancers, the latest report from Landmark Information Group suggests. Although global pressures and affordability are constraining home moving activity, listing volumes rose by 3% year-on-year across Q1 2026, Landmark’s data reveals. A 6% uplift in January has resulted in consistently high levels of stock […]
‘Modest but meaningful’ drop in fall-through rates across UK
Fall-through rates have fallen slightly in 10 of the UK’s 13 regions, according to the latest report from property data analysts TwentyCi. The national rate fell from 24% in Q1 25 to 23.7% in Q1 26 – “a modest but meaningful” 0.3% percentage-point decline, TwentyCi said. The year-on-year reduction stands at 1.3%. The improvement was found […]
‘Tough times ahead’ in buy-to-let market as demand falls
Demand in the buy-to-let market has been largely fuelled by re-mortgaging, with new purchases falling slightly in Q4 of 2025 compared to the same period a year ago, newly released figures from UK Finance reveal. There were 59,489 new buy-to-let loans advanced in the UK, worth a total of £11.2 billion and up 18.2% on […]
Mortgage lifespan falls to record low as lenders pull products due to interest rate uncertainty
The average shelf life of a mortgage fell to a record low of just eight days in March, down from 14 days in February, according to the latest Moneyfacts UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report. The previous lowest average lifespan of a mortgage was in July 2023, at just 12 days. Overall product choice has decreased […]