Government to consult on new “Right to Buy”
An updated ‘Right to Buy’ scheme could ‘protect and reverse the decline in much needed council housing’ Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has said paving the way for ‘longstanding tenants to buy their own homes while at the same time crucially supporting councils to protect and rebuild their depleted housing stock.’ A consultation has been […]
First-of-its-kind survey launches to capture the voice of women in property
A survey to capture the voice of women working in property has been launched with women from across the residential property sectors encouraged to contribute. Survey author Susan Gregory describes the ambition of the survey to capture the voice and experience of women working across the property sector and is one of, if not the, […]
Search partnership to raise awareness of coastal erosion risks for homebuyers
A new partnership will aim to raise awareness of the risks to property associated with coastal erosion for both consumers and professionals. CoastClear is a newly launched a consumer awareness website, designed to provide homebuyers, households and conveyancing solicitors with essential information on the potential impact of coastal erosion on communities and businesses. The initiative […]
HMLR Survey: Help Shape the Future of Digital Conveyancing
An online survey has been launched by HM Land Registry to understand the extent of digital adoption among conveyancing firms. In particular the survey asks questions about firms’s current experience of digital tools, including third parties to order ID and AML checks, searches, and post-completion services to HMLR; and what plans firms have to adopt […]
PEXA launch reported takeover bid for Dye & Durham
Australian press outlets have reported PEXA have launched a takeover bid for Canadian technology firm Dye & Durham. In January 2022, Dye & Durham announced its intention to acquire a 43% ownership stake in PEXA Group through its acquisition of Link Group; the acquisition was later referred to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian equivalent of […]
Cost of moving down on 2023 but double 10 years ago
The cost of moving has fallen from its peak in 2023 but remains twice the cost of moving compared to ten years ago. And the issue is exacerbated in London and the South East where it costs nearly twice the national average. For the latest Cost of Moving Report 2024 from home moving comparison website […]
Market busier than this time last year with more completions on the way – Rightmove
The number of sales being agreed is still 26% ahead of the quieter market at this time in 2023 with the number of new seller coming to market 6% ahead of the same period a year ago. The figures have been released by Rightmove in their latest House Price Index and show ‘some early signs […]
HMLR “disappointed” by PCS strike ballot
HM Land Registry has described the decision by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union to ballot members on strike action over plans to return to the office for a minimum number of days per week as ‘disappointing.’ The agency has said it consider industrial action to be ‘a last resort’ adding it is ‘committed […]
Just 11% of homeowners return to their previous conveyancer
Just 11% of homeowners return to the firm who completed their property purchase according to newly released data, despite 3/4 saying they would use their conveyancer again. Research compiled by TwentyConvey, part of TwentyCi, reviewed 30,000 sale transactions and identified just 11% of them were being transacted by the same firm who last bought the […]
Sellers undeterred by Budget says estate agency
84,000 more homes have hit the property market following the Autumn Budget indicating sellers were undeterred by the first Labour Budget in 14 years according to online estate agency Yopa. The agency reviewed for sale stock listings sourced from Rightmove looking at total market listings and what number had been listed for sale in the […]
HMLR staff could strike following plans to mandate office return
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has said it will ballot workers at HM Land Registry over plans to ‘order’ staff to work in the office three day a week. PCS members at offices in Croydon, Birkenhead, Coventry, Durham, Lancashire, Gloucester, Hull, Leicester, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Telford, Wales, Weymouth will be asked whether they […]
“Sharp rise” in interventions prompts client account consultation
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has launched its anticipated consultation on client money in legal services to review whether it remains appropriate for law firms to continue to hold significant funds in their accounts. The regulator announced plans to launch its consultation last week with SRA Chair Anna Bradley saying the reforms would tighten the […]
Agents still failing to provide material and up front information
Recently conducted research has concluded estate agents continue to fail to provide material and up front information for would-be home buyers, falling foul of consumer protection regulations. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 superseded the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991 in 2013, effectively requiring estate agents to provide ‘material information’ for the benefit of […]
‘Cautious optimism’ after new build activity falls to lowest levels since 2014
An uplift in the number of homes developers have registered their intention to build has given rise to ‘cautious optimism’ from UK house builders according to figures released by the National House Building Council (NHBC). But the picture is tempered by 9% reduction in the number of properties completed by comparison to the same time […]
Property market still on the up says RICS
Buyer demand remains broadly stable and a slight increase in positive sentiment around agreed sales is the story of the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) monthly residential market report. The RICS Residential Market Survey is a monthly sentiment survey of Chartered Surveyors who operate in the residential sales and lettings markets providing a […]
Dual TA6 form approach extended
The Law Society of England and Wales have confirmed conveyancers and property lawyers can continue to use both the 4th and 5th edition of the TA6 Property Information protocol form beyond the current 15th January 2025 deadline. Following uproar at the introduction of the updated form, in June the Law Society confirmed the proposed mandatory […]
What is Horizontal Digital Integration: And why is it relevant to conveyancers?
In the complex world of home buying and selling, where multiple stakeholders work together—from lenders to conveyancers, surveyors, and estate agents—a new digital transformation approach is emerging: Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI). Developed as a strategic methodology, HDI isn’t a single technology or platform. Instead, it serves as a framework for building a connected ecosystem where […]
Consultant fee sharing models now employ 4,000 lawyers – Report
Consultant or platform law firms continue to grow with 4000 lawyers reported to be operating under the fee sharing model in England and Wales according to the latest insight. Despite it remaining a small fraction of the overall legal market; the sector is growing and developing into new areas of law according to a new […]
End of “fleecehold”? Government responds to CMA
The government will continue to consult on the most appropriate way to ‘address the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ private estates’ and bring forward a new consumer code for housebuilders as part of it’s response to a Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation and plans to build 1.5m new homes in this Parliamentary term. The CMA’s final […]
Property fall throughs on the rise – analysis
Analysis of property market withdrawals and fall through suggests both are on the up in the first half of 2024. A fall-through is generally considered to be a property transaction that collapses after an offer has already been made and accepted. Meanwhile, a withdrawal refers to instances where a seller decides to remove their property […]
