Housing minister under attack after blaming leasehold buyers for their own plight (PIE)
Housing minister Heather Wheeler is coming under mounting fire after apparently blaming home buyers for lumbering themselves with their own leasehold ‘nightmares’.
Referral fees, HIPs and Bee Gees tribute acts (EAT)
With the home buying and selling process firmly on the news agenda of late – everything from a possible ban on referral fees to reservation agreements being made compulsory – […]
Buying reform backed by conveyancing chief but government ‘must get it right’ (EAT)
One of the country’s leading conveyancing chiefs has given his support to reforms to the house buying process.
Stamp Duty Land Tax Surcharge Consultation Underway (TC)
Following the government’s vague promise to increase Stamp Duty Land Tax with a surcharge placed on properties bought by foreign investors during the Conservative Party Conference in October last year, […]
Law Society: Firms slow to adopt disruptive technology (LF)
Law firms are under increasing pressure to adopt lawtech, with the rewards for doing so “potentially huge”, but despite this the profession has been slow to embrace systems that would […]
RICS steps up with new regime to defeat money laundering (PIE)
The RICS is stepping up its stance on anti-money laundering with a new statement promising specific world-wide regulation.
80 and still paying a mortgage? No problem, say lenders (EAT)
Mortgage lenders are relaxing age limits so that house buyers can still be paying off their home loan well into their 80s.
Government unveils plans for 1% Stamp Duty surcharge on overseas property buyers (PIE)
The Government has finally announced how an extra Stamp Duty surcharge on foreign investors would work.
Storm warning for solicitors’ indemnity insurance (LF)
The competitive wind has changed in the solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance (market, while regulatory changes and the ground-rent scandal could spell trouble for lawyers.
Competition watchdog asked to investigate probate fee reform (LSG)
A financial advisory group has asked the Competition and Markets Authority if it can investigate the planned reform of probate fees as the controversial proposal nears final approval in parliament.
Ordnance Survey and Land Registry unveil new £10,000 grants for proptech firms (PIE)
Geotech and proptech firms are being invited to apply to become part of the latest Ordnance Survey (OS) and Land Registry accelerator programme to develop their products.
Agent avoids fall-throughs by making sellers and buyers shake hands on deals (EAT)
A London estate agent says his system of ‘moral agreements’ between sellers and buyers prevents chains collapsing and means his company has “the lowest fall-out rate from agreement to consolidation.”