Today the CML will publish a new Part 3 of the Handbook for England and Wales, which provides instructions where there is separate representation of the lender and the borrower. The CML will be considering

From today (2nd July 2012), a new version of the Land Transaction Return guidance notes (SDLT6) will come into effect. The new guidance notes have been streamlined and will only be available online.  It can

TM Group is pleased to welcome Ben Harris as Sales & Marketing Director to help oversee the planned growth of the company as it continues to develop new and innovative online solutions for the property

The Nationwide House Price Index has been released for Quarter 2 for 2012, and it shows price falls for much of the country. Nine out of the thirteen UK regions saw annual price falls for

Introduction We welcome again solicitor Mr Anis Waiz who continues his critical review of recent case law. This case raises an interesting issue as to whether a party’s entitlement to use a car parking space

The Land Registry has published its Annual Report and Accounts for the year 2011/12.   The report highlights a solid year of performance against targets, the completion of major structural changes, responding to the needs

The Nationwide House Price Index for June shows that UK House prices fell by 0.6% compared with May.  This represents an annual 1.5% fall in house prices.  The current price of an average UK home

In September 2012 Land Registry will launch a new e-document registration service (e-DRS) on Business Gateway.  This will provide a faster and more cost-effective way to submit and receive applications electronically.   The e-DRS system

The Law Society has published its list of insurers and brokers who are accepting the PII composite form.   The Society believes that a common proposal form will make life easier for its members during

Newcastle firm Mincoffs have taken on a new team member to join their expanding residential conveyancing team after a successful year.  The total conveyancing team has grown to five, with two new team members joining

The SRA has added an update to the guidance it issued last week following the technical issues experienced by NatWest and RBS Banks.   The update is shown below: We are informed that banking systems

The Law Society is seeking industry-wide support from insurers and brokers as it takes its first steps towards a common PII proposal regime.  It is asking brokers and insurers to use its professional indemnity insurance

Halifax has announced the details of its valuation fee promise, which means that Halifax will refund valuation costs to mortgage applicants if their home purchase falls through, through no fault of their own.    This

The SRA published a fourth version of its Handbook on 21 June 2012.  The new edition is the fourth in ten months.  The changes in it relate to the SRA Handbook Glossary 2012 and the

The Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has issued its response to the consultation paper by the Legal Ombudsman ‘Review of the scheme rules and case fee structure’.  The consultation proposes an extension to the timeframe

The Conveyancing Association last week listened to Paul Smee the Director General of the Council of Mortgage Lenders saying that Lenders should share information they collect from conveyancers in order to reduce the administrative burden

In his regular blog, Chief Ombudsman Adam Sampson looks at why stakeholders are important to the Legal Ombudsman. The blog can be found here. Adam Sampson starts by defining what a stakeholder is. The Legal

As NatWest and RBS Banks have experienced technical problems over the last two days there has been concern about how this will affect law firms.  The SRA has today published guidance on its website relating

The SRA has issued a warning on its website over an office operating as Grindrods Solicitors in Merseyside.  The alert can be seen below: Information received by the SRA indicates that an office operating as

Following from the technical issues being experienced by NatWest and RBS Banks, the CLC has today issued guidance for all licence holders undertaking transactions that may be affected.  The guidance is set out below: Some

CML figures released today show that gross mortgage lending in May was an estimated £12.2 billion.  This is a rise of 24% from April, when £9.9 billion was lent, and represents a 13% rise compared

Co-operative Legal Services have warned consumers that cheap conveyancing quotes may be too good to be true.  They argue that it is very easy for consumers to find themselves buying what looks like a cheap

The Legal Services Board, the independent body overseeing the regulation of lawyers in England and Wales, has published its Annual Report and Accounts for the year 2011/12.  The document was laid down before Parliament yesterday

Staffordshire based law firm Tinsdills Solicitors have announced that they have achieved the requirements for the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme and are now CQS accredited. The scheme recognises high standards of practice management and

The Rightmove House Price Index for June shows that for the third consecutive month the price of new property coming to the market rose, fuelled by price records in London and the South East.  The

Bright (South West) LLP in Plymouth has become the 1500th legal practice in England and Wales to secure the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) quality standard. The firm’s new CQS status follows days after

The Legal Services Board has opened a consultation on extending the SRA’s Compensation Fund for ABS firms after 31 December 2012.   The intention of the consultation document is to ensure that there are adequate

The CML reports that UK lenders have made welcome progress on the final shape of the proposed mortgage directive after a recent vote by the European Parliament’s economic and monetary affairs (ECON) committee. The vote

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has appointed James Sherwood-Rogers as Executive Chairman. He will take up the newly created post with immediate effect and will be working closely with the CoPSO board members

The recent case of Orsman v HMRC (2012) highlights the care that should be taken when splitting the sale price of a property between land and chattels,  and shows that the question ‘fixture or fittings?’

According to a new study from Barclays released today, stepping onto the property ladder has enormous financial benefits over an adult’s lifetime.  Owning a home instead of renting will save £194,000 over a fifty year

The HSBC announced in January that it would be making at least £15 billion in mortgages available to UK homeowners in 2012, including £3 billion for first time buyers.  It has been revealed that by