Despair for buyers and sellers as deals fail to make deadline (PIE)
Overnight, the cost of buying a second home or buy-to-let property shot up as the 3% Stamp Duty surcharge kicked in at midnight.
Lawyers urged to copy other sectors in ditching jargon (LSG)
Legal regulators should take their lead from other sectors to remove language barriers for consumers seeking out lawyers, the oversight regulator has recommended.
Total chaos! Conveyancers and lenders struggle against midnight Stamp Duty deadline (PIE)
Well, the Chancellor has played a blinder this time. At least one major lender is struggling to cope with the Stamp Duty Land Tax deadline of midnight tonight. It is […]
Stamp duty deadline: warning of major problems and extra costs for buyers (EAT)
A top consultancy firm is warning that the SDLT surcharge coming into effect at the end of this week may lead to unexpected costs for unlucky buyers undertaking bridging loans […]
Law Commission considers “incentivising” conveyancers to detect fraud by imposing new duties (LF)
Hopkins: greater certainty and security Conveyancers may need to be placed under extra duties of care so as to reduce the risk of fraudulent changes being made to the Land […]
FT reports £85m stolen from law firms by hackers
The Financial Times has reported has that £85m has been stolen from British law firms by hackers over the past 18 months via so-called ‘Friday afternoon fraud’.
Land registration law up for review (LSG)
A new formula for determining which of two innocent parties of a land fraud should keep the property in question is among proposals for reform of the legal framework governing […]
Former Chief Land Registrar lays into Government over plans to privatise Land Registry (TC)
John Manthorpe, the former Chief Land Registrar has criticised the government over it’s plans to privatise Land Registry.
Buyers allowing vendors to stay on after completion (PIE)
Buyers are allowing vendors to stay in their home after completion in order to beat this Fridays’ Stamp Duty Land Tax deadline.
Land Registry: don’t make a monster (LSG)
Government’s plans would create a 1970s-style monopoly.
Welcome to a week of chaos with Stamp Duty deadline midnight Thursday (PIE)
It is likely to be a very chaotic few days until April 1. The pressure for certain transactions to complete before Friday will be great.
Scam warning: Agents’ properties scraped and given price cuts to lure inquiries (PIE)
Agents are being warned of a new property scam in which their listings are scraped – but given far cheaper prices in order to lure inquirers, who innocently give up […]