Two more firms fined for SDLT avoidance schemes involvement (LF)
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has fined two more law firms for advising on conveyancing transactions.
Council debates Law Society governance (LSG)
The working group reviewing the Law Society’s governance arrangements is to develop more detailed proposals following a Council debate at Chancery Lane.
Queen’s speech: bill of rights revived (LSG)
The Conservatives’ British Bill of Rights is firmly back on the political agenda following the Queen’s speech yesterday.
CHAPS extended hours confirmed from Monday June 20 (EAT)
Operating hours for CHAPS – the payment system used to trasfer funds for property transactions – will be extended by one hour and 40 minutes from Monday June 20.
Outlawing gazumping would be a huge challenge, warning (PIE)
Banning gazumping would be a huge challenge in law.
Jonathan Smithers believes gazumping isn’t going away (TC)
The President of the Law Society stated he believes gazumping isn’t necessarily a problem, stating 50% of the people involved in a gazumping situation benefit.
Land Registry: anti-privatisation campaign gathers momentum (EAT)
An online petition against the privatisation of the Land Registry now has around 225,000 signatures with just over a week to go before the official consultation closes.
Privatising Land Registry could benefit consumer (TC)
While privatising the Land Registry has been unpopular in some quarters, not everyone within the property industry sees it as a bad thing.
Land Registry: raise fees, don’t privatise, say conveyancers (LSG)
The government does not need to resort to Land Registry privatisation to maximise returns in order to pay down the national debt, a trade body has said.
Conveyancing delays are not the only reason transactions fall through (EAT)
Conveyancers are sometimes demonised and accused of being responsible for every single delay, problem, or obstacle that might arise during a transaction.
Conflict – Do I need to report to my lender client or not?
The scope for conflict in a conveyancing transaction when acting for a buyer and the buyer’s lender is extensive and is often overlooked by busy practitioners.
City lawyers slam Land Registry sell-off plan (LSG)
City lawyers have warned the government that proposals to transfer most of the functions of Land Registry to a private contractor could damage the ‘fundamental foundation stone’ of the UK’s […]