Estate Agents Must Operate Transparently To Consumers Regarding Referral Fees (TC)
Heather Wheeler, Minister for Housing and Homelessness, outlined the government’s position on referral fees and new housing reforms at the Council for Licensed Conveyancers annual conference.
Law Society attacks LSB governance proposals (LSG)
Proposed revisions in the rules governing the relationship between the Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority are inconsistent with the Legal Services Act and could encourage disagreements.
Land Registry testing Blockchain in bid to speed up house buying process (EAT)
HM Land Registry’s ambitious digitisation plans continue apace with news that it is to consider Blockchain in a bid to speed up the house buying process.
Buyers should ‘not be able to walk away from deals’ with impunity because they don’t like the avocado bath (PIE)
Buyers should not be able to pull out of transactions without financial repercussions “just because they have decided that they do not like the avocado bathroom suite”, the housing minister […]
LSB rules “could stop Law Society from criticising SRA” (LF)
The Law Society has said it is “deeply concerned” that new rules proposed by the Legal Services Board could largely prevent it from either lobbying or criticising the Solicitors Regulation […]
Home-buying reservation agreements to be tested this year (LSG)
The government has announced that it will trial reservation agreements this year, telling conveyancers that buyers should not be allowed to pull out of transactions without consequences ‘just because they […]
Clampdown on referral fees: new Trading Standards guidance to be issued
It’s been revealed that the National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team is to deliver new guidelines to agents for referral fees next month.
Online agents charge too little and risk looking ‘cheap’ – Russell Quirk (EAT)
The former chief executive of Emoov says online estate agencies charge too little, so risk appearing cheap and ineffective to potential customers.
Thanks a million (well, £5m to be precise): agent’s earnings from conveyancing firm revealed (PIE)
Newton Fallowell has made an astonishing £5m in referral fees earned from conveyancing firm Move with Us over the last two decades.
Purplebricks battles it out in Australia as it bids to persuade sellers of the sins of commission (PIE)
Purplebricks has launched a new PR offensive in Australia, accusing traditional agents of being archaic commission collectors.
Expert predictions: What will Brexit mean for house prices? (IC)
Last Wednesday, the government survived a no-confidence vote following an unequivocal rejection of Theresa May’s proposed Brexit. The ongoing turmoil at Westminster isn’t doing anything to calm nerves in the […]
SRA told to get on with publishing disciplinary records (LSG)
Consumer champions have said the time for talking about transparency is over, while urging regulators to do more to keep people informed about law firm compliance breaches.