‘The biggest shock to the UK mortgage market since the 2022 mini-budget’
The Iran conflict has triggered the sharpest shock to the UK mortgage market since the 2022 mini-budget, the financial information company Moneyfacts has said, with rates soaring in the space of just one month. Mortgage deals have been rapidly repriced, with average two-year fixed rates jumping from 4.84% to 5.84% in a month, while five-year […]
‘Ominous signs’ as Middle East conflict clouds positive housing market indicators
The latest indicators from HMRC and Nationwide paint a positive picture of the housing market, but experts warn the figures “set an ominous tone” as the Middle East conflict slows economic growth. Seasonally adjusted UK monthly residential property transaction figures from HMRC show a 6% increase on January’s figures, with 102,410 transactions. Although the figures […]
Global volatility leads to unanimous rates hold decision
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to maintain Bank Rate at 3.75% citing global unrest increasing the cost of energy and other commodities affecting households and businesses. As a result the MPC anticipates a near term increase in inflation as it continues efforts to bring it down to the 2% target In […]
The BCAs go north – British Conveyancing Awards take Manchester by storm
The British Conveyancing Awards, sponsored by Groundsure, has crowed its 2026 winners at a glitzy ceremony hosted at Manchester Cathedral on Thursday night. Big winners on the night included Rowlinsons Solicitors, AVRillo, TV Edwards Solicitors, and InfoTrack. Like the music industry’s BRIT Awards before it, 2026 marked the first year the British Conveyancing Awards has […]
Lawyers gain 10,000 hours in productivity as AI-powered document reading tool REI processes data from over 300 local authorities in England and Wales
Search Acumen, a pioneer in UK legal technology, announces that its local authority document reading tool, Real Estate Intelligence (REI), has created time efficiency savings of approximately 10,000 hours for real estate lawyers to date. Since its launch in Q4 2024, REI has processed more than 225,000 individual pages of CON29 documents. Using REI, reviewing […]
Conveyancing caseloads grow as market consolidation eases, report finds
The latest research from property legal tech firm Search Acumen points to an elevated number of property transactions for Q4 2025, which the company says signals renewed confidence in the property sector following years of volatility. Consolidation among law firms has notably levelled off, Search Acumen says, reflecting the sector’s growing capacity to absorb increased caseloads and adapt to evolving […]
Housing transactions end the year on a high, ‘demand set to increase’
HMRC’s residential property transactions for December were 5% higher than the previous year on a seasonally adjusted basis, at 100,440. The non-seasonally adjusted estimate was up by 7% to 105,730 year-on-year, and 1% higher than November 2025. Monthly transaction levels have remained stable since summer last year, with the first half of the year affected […]
Finalists for the British Conveyancing Awards 2026 announced
The finalists for the British Conveyancing Awards 2026, sponsored by Groundsure, have been published this morning, with 61 different organisations recognised for their commitment to excellence and client service. The winners will be announced live at a gala dinner hosted at the iconic Manchester Cathedral on 12 March. The awards were first hosted as a […]
House prices up, but data is ‘out of date and irrelevant’
The latest UK House Price Index, covering November, reveals that average UK house price annual inflation was 2.5% in the 12 months to November 2025, up from the revised estimate of 1.9% in the 12 months to October 2025. The average UK house price was £271,000 in November 2025, £6,000 higher than 12 months ago. […]
Tech predictions for 2026: Accelerated adoption, streamlined tech stacks, and more soft-skills in legal work
Property tech company Search Acumen says 2026 will see an accelerated adoption of AI and technology in the legal sector, especially in property law, driven by government innovation and investment. As AI and digital tools become more sophisticated and comprehensive, law firms will streamline their subscriptions to one or two essential products, the company says, […]
Bank Rate cut ‘will spur buyer demand”
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has voted by a majority of 5–4 to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 3.75%. Monetary policy is being set to ensure CPI inflation settles sustainably at 2% in the medium term, the committee said, “which involves balancing the risks around achieving this.” The extent of […]
HMRC residential transaction figures ‘show a market that held its nerve’
HMRC’s residential transaction figures for October reveal a 2% monthly increase, up from 96,730 in September to 98,450 in October – the highest seasonally adjusted residential transaction figure since March 2025. Non-seasonally adjusted residential transactions increased by 13% in October 2025 relative to September 2025. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions have also seen an increase, with […]
As mansion tax rumours become fact, expert share their views on its impact
Of the many rumoured changes to the system of property taxation, the mansion tax – or ‘high value council tax surcharge’ – was the only significant measure introduced by the chancellor in her autumn budget. From 2028, an annual ‘high value council tax surcharge’ of £2,500 for properties worth between £2-5 million and £7,500 for […]
Landlords lose out in the budget, but tenants will pay the price
In her budget speech yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was committed to creating a fairer system and would ‘ensure that the wealthiest will contribute the most’. Announcing a two percentage point increase in the basic and higher rate of tax on property income, she pointed out that under the current system, a landlord earning […]
Bank Rate stays at 4% ‘but further cuts expected’
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has voted to maintain Bank Rate at 4%, by a majority of five to four, with the minority voting for a reduction of 0.25 percentage points. Announcing the decision, the committee said CPI inflation is judged to have peaked. ‘Monetary policy is being set to balance the risks […]
Increase in property transactions ‘a reassuring sign’
HMRC’s provisional seasonally adjusted estimate of the number of UK residential transactions for September has seen a year-on-year rise of 4%, to 95,980, which represents a 1% increase on August’s figures. The provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate is 102,420, 8% higher than the same period last year and 2% lower than August. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions […]
The glass remains half full for property experts as HMRC releases latest transaction figures
Following three consecutive months of increases, HMRC figures for seasonally adjusted residential transactions in August show a decrease of 2% – from 95,240 in July to 93,630 in August. Non-seasonally adjusted residential transactions increased by 2%. The non-seasonally adjusted increase was greeted with enthusiasm by industry experts, with some also pointing out the seasonally adjusted […]
Bank of England holds base rate at 4% – industry reacts, with some advice for conveyancers
Property industry experts have been united in their reaction to the Bank of England’s decision to hold the base rate at 4%, agreeing it was widely expected and offers stability to homeowners. Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert: “A Base Rate hold today had looked fairly nailed on, especially after yesterday’s news that inflation remains stuck […]
Increase in property transactions met with relief by sector
UK residential property transactions increased by 4% in July compared to the same period last year, with the seasonally adjusted estimates showing a 1% rise since June. The provisional non-seasonally adjusted estimate also sits 4% higher than July 2024, with the monthly increase rising by 5%. Seasonally adjusted non-residential transactions were 1% lower than June […]
HMRC transaction data up 25% since April: ‘The return of genuine, underlying demand’
HMRC’s May transaction data suggests last month’s optimism in the face of a steep decline was justified, with the seasonally adjusted figures showing a 25% rise since April. But while the news has been welcomed by industry commentators, some are warning the market hasn’t fully recovered just yet. While May represents a healthy month-on-month increase, […]