Why court decided that sellers did not have to pay commission to first agent (PIE)
The dismissal of an estate agent’s claim for a fee by a county court judge came after a very different decision by the Property Ombudsman. TPO yesterday evening said there […]
Government consults on EPCs – how accurate are they and do they improve energy efficiency? (PIE)
The Government wants to hear from sales and letting agents, and is in particular looking at the quality of EPCs; their availability; and whether they encourage action to improve energy […]
Cybercrime and dubious investment schemes all on the rise
Criminals are increasingly targeting law firms as a means to steal tens of millions from businesses and the wider public.
More agents will be victims of Britain’s ‘death of the high street’, prediction (PIE)
Almost 2,500 estate and letting agency firms have gone bust in the last five years.
Conveyancers face statutory duty to check identities (LF)
Conveyancers would come under a new statutory duty to check the identity of clients and make indemnity payments to the Land Registry if they failed to take reasonable care, under […]
Careless conveyancers could be liable for title fraud (LSG)
HM Land Registry could recover millions of pounds from conveyancers who fail to take reasonable steps to verify their clients’ identities under Law Commission recommendations to reform the Land Registration […]
Making conveyancing quicker and better – that’s the promise… (EAT)
The Law Commission has unveiled proposals that it claims could stop property fraudsters in their tracks and improve conveyancing at the same time.
New draft legislation launched to expose true owners of UK property bought by foreign entities (PIE)
Foreign companies owning UK properties will have to reveal their ultimate owners on the world’s first public register, after a new draft law was laid yesterday.
Big surge in down-valuations as ‘surveyors predict housing market crash’ (PIE)
There has been a ‘significant’ rise in down-valuations which are now running at the highest rate since the crash in 2008.
Criminals who launder money though UK property could face 5 years in prison (TC)
The Government has announced that foreign companies that own UK properties will have to reveal their ultimate owners on the world’s first public register.
Bid to reduce “low-quality” money laundering reports (LF)
High numbers of low-quality suspicious activity reports (SARs) are making it difficult to investigate money laundering, the Law Commission has warned.
Japanese Knotweed remains problem for sellers despite recent ‘all clear’ (EAT)
Japanese Knotweed remains a major problem for a property sale – and that’s despite a recent study suggesting that the growth is relatively harmless.