Conveyancers suspected of dishonesty face action by regulators warns HMLR
Conveyancers suspected of dishonesty could face action by regulators, HM Land Registry (HMLR) has warned. In a blog published on the HLMR website, assistant land registrar Serene Rollins said manipulating or re-using signatures, repeated failures to check deeds, and misrepresenting oneself as a legal professional were among the issues that could prompt referral to a […]
‘Macro headwinds’ will lead to subdued property market in the short to medium term – RICS
The housing market is in the “grip of macro headwinds stemming from the Middle East conflict” and, with interest rate rises on the horizon, the outlook for buyers remains challenging, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The comments in the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey mirror sentiment shared in recent weeks […]
Kitemark for upfront information providers to be developed as new representative group launches
A new group has been launched to standardise the production of material information and digital sales packs, under the umbrella of the Residential Logbook Association (RLBA). Upfront Information Group (UIG) has been established by the self-regulatory body of logbook providers to enable it to engage with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) […]
Firm-wide CPD and peer-assessed training part of new CLC ongoing competence requirements
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is introducing new requirements for individuals and firms to undertake and report on ongoing competence, as part of a new Ongoing Competence Code. The code, effective from 1st November, includes the assessment of training by senior colleagues. Individuals will be required to complete and report on a minimum of […]
Updated valuation standards for multi-storey residential buildings with cladding
An EWS1 form is intended for valuation and lending purposes only and is not a fire safety certificate and does not replace a professional life safety fire risk assessment, according to new guidance. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published the second edition of its UK professional standard, Secured lending valuation of properties […]
Local Land Charges Excellence Awards recognise best performing councils
The winners of the 19th annual Land Data Local Land Charges Awards for Excellence have been announced, with councils up and down the country recognised across eight separate categories. This year also saw the inclusion of the first Outstanding Contribution award, launched in memory of long-standing Land Data CEO Jan Boothroyd, who passed away in […]
SRA seeks 29% funding increase ‘to move from reactive to proactive regulation’
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has proposed a £50 increase in individual practising fees, taking the annual fee to £240. Compensation fund contributions are expected to be set at £120 for an individual solicitor and £3,600 for an SRA-regulated firm. Individual combined fees, which cover the practising certificate fee and compensation fund contribution, would rise […]
Rising costs add £76,000 to new homes, HBF report finds
New research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) reveals £76,000 has been added to the cost of building a home since 2020, which the organisation says raises serious concerns about the viability of new housing developments across the UK. The report, The Viability Crunch, examines the cumulative impact of policy, taxation and regulatory pressures on […]
Lawyers urged to take practical action to support mental health and wellbeing ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week
LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector, is encouraging legal professionals to take simple practical actions to support their own and others’ wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from the 11th to the 17th of May. Last year, LawCare’s research found that many people in the legal sector were struggling with […]
In conversation with Alex Holt and Emma O’Day
As we continue into 2026, there is a noticeable shift in how law firms are thinking about resourcing, risk, and resilience. To explore, we sat down with Alex Holt and Emma O’Day to discuss why more firms are actively considering outsourcing, what’s driving the trend, and what it means for the future of legal finance […]
AIIC posts record revenues and profits
The parent company of legal brands Taylor Rose, FDR Law and Kingsley Wood has reported record profits of nearly £10 million; a 118% increase on the previous financial year. AIIC Group’s latest results report an annual revenue increase of 27%, up to £124 million from £97.3 million and adjusted EBITDA of £12.2 million, up from […]
Mortgage approvals up and interest rates down in first quarter of 2026
Mortgage approvals in March 2026 sat slightly higher than the six month average and average mortgage rates decreased slightly, according to the latest Bank of England (BoE) Money and Credit statistics. Net mortgage approvals, a measure of future borrowing, increased to 63,500 in March from 62,700 in February, above an average of around 63,200 over […]
CLC seeks views on proposed rule changes
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is seeking views on proposed changes to the rules governing how disciplinary proceedings involving regulated practices and individuals are dealt with by its independent adjudication panel. Member feedback is encouraged on changes to the procedural rules that govern matters under the panel’s consideration, which the CLC says will enhance […]
Shortcomings in continuing competence prompt CPD consultation from SRA
Shortcomings in the continuing competence training regime have prompted the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to undertake a consultation into the future of ensuring solicitors complete regular and relevant training. SRA-regulated solicitors are required to maintain competence and professional knowledge as part of their obligations under the Code of Conduct for Solicitors. The ‘continuing competence’ regime […]
SRA must ‘regain the trust’ of the profession and get back to the basics of regulation says new CEO
New Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) chief executive Sarah Rapson says the organisation needs to “regain the trust of solicitors, law firms and the wider public”. In a statement published on the SRA website, Rapson said the message is clear from the profession that the regulator is not getting the “basics of good regulation right” and […]
LSB to ‘focus on sharper and more targeted interventions’ in response to changing regulatory environment
The Legal Services Board (LSB) is responding to a “rapidly evolving” legal sector and plans to change its approach to oversight regulation to focus efforts on “where they are most needed”, according to its business plan for 2026/27. Recently appointed LSB chair Monisha Shah said that while she will focus on discovery in her first […]
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 […]
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 […]
Monisha Shah appointed chair of the Legal Services Board
The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Monisha Shah as chair of the Legal Services Board for four years from 1st April 2026. For the last 12 months, Catherine Brown had acted as interim chair of the oversight regulator after the unexpectedly short tenure of Alan Kershaw who stepped down in February 2025 after […]
Legal-technology founder launches AI powered conveyancing firm
The founder of a conveyancing technology provider has launched a CLC-regulated law firm “to show that the variability that has long characterised the conveyancing process is not inevitable”. Ed Boulle is the co-founder of Orbital, an AI-powered property due diligence platform which provides summarised title documents, leases, deeds, searches and lender requirements for conveyancers. Announcing […]