Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023: Changes to the limitation period for planning enforcement
A significant change to the law effective today (Thursday 24th April) is poised to catch many property lawyers off guard. From today a much stricter approach to planning enforcement will be implemented, impacting property owners, developers, and (not to forget) property lawyers. In England (as opposed to Wales) under the new law, when there is an […]
Moving conveyancing ‘up stream’ – an opportunity not to be missed (again!)
Concerns about change are natural, but of course if you didn’t have them, you might think you don’t care enough about the work, and you’re prepared to allow change to happen without fully understanding what the consequences can be. I certainly get that. Change can be scary, particularly if it involves the changing of the […]
Extension of Japanese Knotweed responsibilities ‘leaves vendors open to litigation’
The updated TA6 property information form, released by the Law Society in the past week, places a new onus on vendors to be clearer about the risks posed by the incursion onto the property of Japanese Knotweed, and failure to properly identify the risk could lead to more claims warns CLS Property Insight, who point […]
Software provider launches new customer retention portal as millions of homeowners approach the end of fixed-term deals
A UK’s cloud-based mortgage and savings software provider, Finova, has announced the launch of its new retention portal, the latest addition to the company’s suite of servicing products for lenders. Fully powered by Finova’s SaaS banking originations platform Apprivo, the newly improved retention portal is designed to streamline the mortgage switch journey for existing customers […]
Diary of a high street conveyancer: 14th April 2024
Something has been bothering me this week; you know that niggling thing in the back of your mind that you can’t quite put your finger on… Well, I think I know what it is so let me try and share my thoughts with you It seems to me that firms charge more for acting in […]
“Letting logbooks” trial for buy to let properties
Property logbooks for rental and buy-to-let properties are being trialed in partnership with Birmingham City Council and the Connected Places Catapult as part of a ‘wider programme of innovation in the West Midlands.’ Logbooks which include a Lettings Pack have been launched to help with the collation of data associated with rental property when purchasing […]
Two Years of Progress Lost in Planning for Seniors Housing Accommodation- Pace of Change Stalls Despite Needs Increasing
New research produced by global property consultancy Knight Frank and law firm Irwin Mitchell reveal that planning remains one of the largest challenges for the Seniors Housing market as nearly a third of councils across England remain unprepared to provide suitable housing for their ageing populations. According to the survey just under a third ,(32%) […]
Leasehold reform “quietly axed” by Treasury
Proposed reforms around leasehold are reported to have been “quietly axed” with retrospective legal action and the knock-on effect on pension funds being cited as reasons for the Treasury withdrawing its support. Housing Minister Michael Gove introduced the legislation in November 2023 shortly after the King’s Speech, describing it as ‘a landmark moment for millions […]
Three new Ambassadors and final chance to have your say – The Conveyancing Foundation
Conveyancing charity, The Conveyancing Foundation has announced three new ambassadors have pledged their support to the initiative. AConveyancing’s Natalie Moore and ESTAS founders Simon and Sarah Brown will play their role in ‘enhancing the lives of those in the property industry’, joining existing Ambassadors Rob and Lynne Hailstone of the Bold Legal Group, Elizabeth Rimmer […]
New Group Sales Director for Convey Law
Newport-based conveyancing practice Convey Law have announced the appointment of Richard Pickles as its new Group Sales Director. The appointment follows the company’s success at last week’s British Conveyancing Awards, at which Convey Law were recognised as Highly Commended in the “Conveyancing Firm of the Year- National” category. Pickles joins having been National Sales Director at […]
Give home owners free access to their data – RLBA
Fewer restrictions on access to home owner’s data would encourage them to take greater ownership of their data and put them in control of their property says the regulatory body for property logbooks. Off the back of HMLR’s consultation on fees, the Residential Logbook Association (RLBA) has called for home owners to be given free, […]
Academy upskills conveyancers and provides training opportunities for new entrants
A training academy which provides training for existing conveyancing staff to upskill, and welcomes non-conveyancers to start their conveyancing journey has announced the latest cohort of graduate case managers. The academy is run by Movera, a 600-strong conveyancing group which incorporates ONP Solicitors, Cavendish Legal Group, Grindeys Conveyancing, Conveyancing Alliance, Broker Conveyancing, LMS and inCase. […]
‘Resilience and cautious optimism’ after positive start to 2024
Sales agreed numbers are 13% higher than last year,and demand is up 8% indicating a positive start to the year according to the figures from property portal Rightmove. The property market exhibits a ‘blend of resilience and cautious optimism.’ The average price of newly marketed properties has risen by 1.5% this month, reaching £368,118. This […]
Consultant model growing ‘significantly faster’ than traditional firms
Consultant style, or ‘Platform’ law firms are growing at a ‘significantly faster’ rate than traditional competitors with Setfords and Taylor Rose MW leading the way amongst Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs). Property law continues to be the leading area of law practiced by consultant lawyers, with a small but growing proportion of family and private […]
Sign of Spring bounce as consumer sentiment on the up
The proportion of people who believe now is a good time buy a property has risen to it’s highest levels since December 2021. Sentiment around affordability of mortgage payments and concerns over mortgage repayments has also seen a move toward greater positivity in signs that the seasonal Spring bounce may be on its way. One […]
40% of consumers believe structural survey is conveyancer’s responsibility
40% of consumers believe it is the conveyancer who checks the structure of a property is sound during the home moving transaction. 48% were unaware the conveyancer acts on behalf of both them and the mortgage lender, while 2/3rd of respondents said the conveyancer’s role was to transfer the ownership of the property (68%); effect […]
Future bright for conveyancing as awards showcase innovation and excellence
The conveyancing profession came together to celebrate and recognise excellence at the 4th annual British Conveyancing Awards, sponsored by property due diligence report provider Groundsure. 21 individuals, firms and organisations were recognised over the course of the evening in, at a glitzy ceremony hosting 350 property professionals at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London. The awards showcase talent, […]
London homebuying platform to offer full suite of services to buyers in one package
In a move that hopes to further simplify the property buying process, London homebuying platform OneDome is expanding its flagship product HomeBuyer Service to include surveying services. This enhancement ensures that OneDome now provides a full suite of services to homebuyers—including mortgages, conveyancing, and surveys – all bundled into one package at a fixed price. […]
National Conveyancing Week begins today
National Conveyancing Week, a week dedicated to raising the profile of conveyancing and the role of conveyancing professionals in the property transaction process, begins today, Monday 11th March and runs to Friday 15th March. Throughout the week, events and webinars will take place designed to educate and inform professionals from across the property sector, and […]
‘The Conservative Party are concerned with bad press’ : Law industry reacts to Chancellor’s Spring Budget 2024
The Legal Sector has reacted to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget rollout for this year, with comments showing very much a mixed bag of opinions. The lack of change to inheritance tax came as a surprise to many, after the Wills and Probate sector have publicly speculated on potential changes, or even scrapping the tax […]
