Government consultation on Alternative Business Structures – Law Society response
The Law Society is supportive of ABS as they provide choice for solicitors as well as their clients.
Developer calls on new Chancellor to bin ‘tax on moving’ Stamp Duty (PIE)
There has been a new call for Chancellor Philip Hammond to bin Stamp Duty Land Tax.
Conveyancers want more transparency in leasehold transactions (EAT)
The Conveyancing Association has set out recommendations to end what it claims are significant delays and overcharging taking place within the leasehold transaction process.
Are Property Lawyers Sleepwalking Into Leasehold Nightmare? (IC)
A number of lenders have recently increased their minimum unexpired lease term requirements to 85 years.
Bankruptcy Searches in Conveyancing
Should a bankruptcy search be carried out against a seller, before exchange?
Committee Chair responds to Land Registry privatisation consultation (TC)
Tory MP and Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has expressed concerns over the potential privatisation of Land Registry.
Leasehold reform blow over landlord redress (LSG)
The government has ruled out forcing landlords of leasehold properties to belong to a redress scheme, dealing a blow to conveyancers seeking urgent reform of leasehold legislation.
Senior Tory MP is latest to raise concern at Land Registry sell-off threat (EAT)
MP Bernard Jenkin, the chairman of the public administration committee, is the latest to raise concerns at the possible privatisation of the Land Registry.https://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/7/senior-tory-mp-is-latest-to-raise-concern-at-land-registry-sell-off-threat
Law Society issues new practice note on use of electronic signatures in contracts (EAT)
The Law Society has issued a new practice note confirming that most commercial contracts governed by English law can be validly signed with an electronic signature rather than needing ink […]
Mortgage and propety fraud up 50% this year (TC)
Mortgage and property fraud have increased by 50% in the past year according to a study by information services company Experian.
Couples buying jointly with unequal deposit contributions routinely foregoing legal protection (TC)
A third of couples who buy houses together with unequal contributions to the deposit will avoid getting any legal protection for their proportion of the asset as a whole for […]
Price index “will bring transparency” to legal fees (LF)
A lawyer-matching platform has answered the growing clamour for charging transparency with a price index based on its database of 15,000 quotes, broken down into detailed categories of commercial work.