LSB outlines plans to strengthen ethical standards but is warned over duplicating regulators’ efforts
The Legal Services Board has outlined how it intends to strengthen lawyers’ ethical standards in a statement of policy which sets out new expectations designed to reinforce lawyers’ role in upholding the rule of law. But while the Law Society has welcomed efforts to continue to maintain high ethical standards, it has raised concerns over […]
LeO seeks input on draft complaints procedure
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has launched a call for input on its draft Model Complaints Resolution Procedure (MCRP), a new framework aimed at improving the consistency and quality of how complaints are handled by legal service providers. “Effective complaints handling is fundamental to trust and confidence in legal services,” the LeO said. “However, our insight from more […]
MHCLG seeks views on planning proposals
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking views on its proposals for planning decisions and applications. In two consultations launched this week, MHCLG sets out its plans for the requirements for local planning authorities to consult the secretary of state when they plan to refuse applications, and proposals for establishing a new […]
Land registration: Practice guides (PG54)
Acquisition of land by general vesting declaration (PG54) Page summary: Advice about applications based on acquisition of land (practice guide 54). Change made: The guide has been amended to take into account changes made by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and Compulsory Purchase of Land (Vesting Declarations) (England) Regulations 2017 as amended by the […]
AI is blurring boundaries on legal advice, new LSB chief exec warns
Richard Orpin, the new chief executive of the Legal Services Board, has hailed legal services as a “huge economic success story,” but warned that “AI is blurring the boundaries between regulated and unregulated legal advice.” Speaking at LegalEx London, Orpin (pictured) highlighted that the revenue generated by legal activities in the UK grew from £41.4 […]
MHCLG shares contractual control agreement guidance for conveyancers
New government transparency rules will expose secret land deals, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has said, as it publishes guidance on contractual control agreements. The guidance, which is intended for conveyancers submitting information to HM Land Registry on behalf of clients, has been issued by MHCLG to support the implementation of […]
Plan-making regulations signed into law
Matthew Pennycook, the minister of state for housing and planning (pictured), has signed into law the regulations to commence the new plan-making system provided for by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. A package of five statutory instruments was laid in parliament this week, including the new Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, which come into […]
Government launches digital ID consultation
The Government is seeking views on how digital ID could be used to make public services quicker, easier and more secure to access. Launching a national public consultation, Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said the government needs to catch up with services offered by the private sector, such as online banking. […]
EPC reforms delayed until 2027
The government has delayed the launch of its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reforms until the second half of 2027 but said it “continues to work at pace to deliver reformed domestic EPCs”. “Following engagement with industry on the delivery timeline, we have decided to move the launch of the reforms to the second half of […]
Land registration: Practice guides (PG41s3)
Developing estates: registration services – approval of draft transfers and leases (PG41s3) Page summary: Approval of draft transfers and leases service to those involved in the registration of developing estates (practice guide 41, supplement 3). Change made: Section 5.17 has been amended to streamline the process for developer customers so they do not need to […]
OPDA signs memorandums of understanding with the Legal Software Suppliers Association and the Conveyancing Association
The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Legal Software Suppliers Association (LSSA) and The Conveyancing Association to promote closer collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the property sector. The MoU sets out shared commitments to advance the digital transformation of the home buying and selling process encourage the use of […]
New note outlines best practice for mandatory and elective climate report content
The Council of Property Search Organisations has published a new compliance note which sets mandatory standards for climate searches for property search organisations who subscribe to the Search Code. CoPSO was founded in 2003 and provides guidance and a ‘self-regulatory framework’ for property due diligence data providers under its Code of Practice for Search Compilers […]
Climate risk compliance note outlines data providers’ duty of care to conveyancers
A trade body for search and property data providers has released a compliance note on climate risk reporting to members, outlining clear definitions of data currently used in climate reports, minimum service standards and expectations for how members will maintain and refine the data “in accordance with the evolving market and stakeholder requirements”. The Conveyancing […]
Leaseholders deterred from making complaints, report finds
New analysis from The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), a government-funded advisory body providing free and impartial initial legal advice to leaseholders and park homeowners, spotlights how the current complexity of the leasehold redress system is deterring leaseholders from pursuing and resolving complaints. The survey of 247 leaseholders revealed that many are not escalating complaints because […]
Land registration: Practice guides (PG14a)
Charitable incorporated organisations (PG14a) Page summary: Transactions involving charitable incorporated organisations, including their dissolution (practice guide 14A). Change made: Sections 8.1 and 8.2 have been amended to reflect the fact that the charitable incorporated organisation is the same legal entity as the charitable company. Time updated: 6:00am, 16 February 2026
Latest SRA fines for AML non-compliance
The latest round of Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) penalties for AML breaches includes firms of all sizes, from Legal 500 companies to small high street outfits. With a high percentage of their work coming from conveyancing, the SRA views each as being at high risk of exploitation from criminals. Bristol-based Humphreys & Co reached a […]
Legal Ombudsman complaints data shows record levels of demand
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has published its complaint data for Q3 of 2025/26 which reveals “a sustained and accelerating demand” for help and the highest complaint volumes for any previous quarter on record. The number of new complaints received by the LeO increased by 29.8% in the reporting period, which covers 1 October to 31 […]
Finance Bill Committee confirms conveyancers are tax advisers, as SLC raises ‘serious concerns’
Conveyancers have been explicitly named as falling within the scope of HMRC’s mandatory tax adviser registration regime during proceedings of the Finance Bill Committee. During committee scrutiny of the bill, Dan Tomlinson, the exchequer secretary to the Treasury, set out the government’s position and specified conveyancers will be required to register with HMRC when interacting […]
Client account proposals ‘an unfair tax on clients and cannot proceed’, Law Society says
The Ministry of Justice’s proposed scheme for Interest on Lawyers’ Client Accounts (ILCA) is fundamentally flawed, lacks adequate evidence and is a crude sector-specific tax on clients of legal services, the Law Society of England and Wales has warned. Commenting on the release of its response to the government consultation on ILCA, The Law Society said […]
Government announces review of the Legal Services Board
The government has launched a review of the Legal Services Board (LSB) to ensure current regulatory arrangements are effective and do not duplicate initiatives of frontline regulators. The review was announced by Sarah Sackman, minister of state for justice (pictured), in a written statement on Tuesday. “It is best practice for departments to regularly review […]