Government launches surprise consultation on property redress (EAT)
The government has launched a surprise consultation on the creation of a new redress system for customers of agents and others in the property industry.
Taxman to update guidance on ‘confusing’ Stamp Duty surcharge (PIE)
HMRC is set to update its guidance on the higher rate of Stamp Duty, which has been branded so confusing that it has caught out solicitors and estate agents.
Agency Warns Of Fake Property Advert Scam (TC)
Online fraudsters are targeting prospective tenants by offering listed properties at a lower price.
SRA wants to become separate legal entity from Law Society (LF)
Legal regulators have urged the Legal Services Board to use its review of the internal governance rules to give them greater independence from their representative bodies.
Conveyancing work falls for the first time in six years (LSG)
Conveyancers have suffered a drop in their workload for the first time in six years, according to an end-of-year edition of a regular benchmarking survey.
Estate agent and solicitor couple in ‘spectacular’ fraud (PIE)
An estate agent and her solicitor husband together defrauded clients for their own financial gain.
Conveyancers see workloads fall for first time since 2011 (LF)
Conveyancers saw their first annual drop in workload since 2011 last year, with volumes down 12% to under a million transactions, according to new research.
Law firm profile shows improving diversity across the legal sector
Data published recently reveals that while the overall legal sector is increasingly reflective of wider society, challenges remain in achieving true diversity at senior levels in some firms.
Trust in value of lawyers declining, LSB business study claims (LSG)
Small businesses are becoming increasingly sceptical about whether lawyers offer value for money when trying to help resolve issues, research by the Legal Services Board suggests.
What do your clients want most from your law firm?
Some lawyers are still failing to deliver customer service.
Cast adrift: Agent agrees to spend 24 hours at sea in a life raft (PIE)
An estate agent has agreed to be cast adrift at sea in a life raft to raise money for charity.
Purplebricks adverts ridicule ‘thumb-twiddling’ agents (PIE)
Purplebricks has released a series of online adverts on the video sharing website youtube, which in some cases mock traditional estate agents.