Property

The government gave no sign of backing down on requiring conveyancers to register as tax advisers with HM Revenue & Customs in this week’s debate on the Finance Bill.

Eight out of 10 conveyancing firms used artificial intelligence to support fee-earners last year, double the proportion that did so in 2024, new research has found.

UK Finance has backtracked on its plan to charge conveyancers £50 per user to access the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook, in the face of a furious reaction.

A solicitor who sold a property he part-owned without the knowledge of his co-owner has been struck off, with the SDT finding he was “primarily motivated” by resentment.

Conveyancers have reacted furiously to the introduction of an annual fee of £50 per user to access the the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook.

The legal services market will grow across all practice areas in 2026 for the first time since Covid, researchers have predicte, while a growing private equity presence is “a continuing theme”.

The government has been urged to reconsider plans to make conveyancers register individually with HM Revenue & Customs as tax advisers because they deal with SDLT.

The head of commercial property at a law firm who certified a client’s ID documents as true and complete copies without seeing the originals has been struck off.

A solicitor has been fined £7,500 for failing to carry out source of funds checks and keep lenders properly updated about where purchase money was coming from.

The Property Ombudsman has told home buyers to stand up for themselves in the face of estate agency pressure to use a preferred conveyancer or other service provider.