Liberal Democrats unveil Stamp Duty reforms in manifesto (PIE)
The Liberal Democrats have proposed linking Stamp Duty to the energy rating of a property as the party sets out its election manifesto.
NHBC launch new Standards for UK House Builders (TC)
The National House-Building Council has announced a number of technical standards set to be launched in 2020.
Slow searches ‘not to blame’ for transactions taking longer to go through (PIE)
A trade body has hit back at suggestions that slow local authority searches are slowing down transactions.
Why estate agents feel so short-changed by property portals – by The Times (PIE)
No less a paper than The Times has waded into the long-standing controversy over portals’ “substantial” charges to agents.
RICS Overhaul Home Surveys To Improve Home Moving Process (TC)
This week the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors launched a new Home Survey Standard to protect buyers and sellers, while providing better clarity and transparency to consumers.
Fraudster Jailed After Stealing £75k Home (TC)
A con woman has been jailed for 20 months after changing her name by deed poll, and selling a £75,000 house, without the real owner knowing.
‘Inflection point’ looms for top conveyancers (LSG)
Larger players increasingly dominating conveyancing work may need to make ‘wholesale’ business changes to continue growing.
Latest mortgage fraud case ‘strikes at the heart of conveyancing (TN)
By changing her name and then applying for a passport, Sarah Broadbelt sold a property she didn’t own for £75,000 without anyone in the chain noticing.
The delays that make house-buying painfully slow (EAT)
A PropTech firm has calculated the different delays that lead to transactions taking an average 120 days (and often much longer) from SSTC to completion.
Fall of over 100,000 transactions leads to drop in number of conveyancing firms (PIE)
There were over 100,000 fewer conveyancing transactions in the first nine months of this year compared with the same period last year.
Average transaction time stretches another 15 working days as it takes longer to complete (PIE)
It is taking 15 working days longer than a year ago to get a transaction through from acceptance of an offer to completion.
Leading Conveyancing Firms Exposed To Fraud And Cyber Crime (TC)
The majority of 200 leading law firms are completely unprepared and susceptible to cyber attacks, according to a 2019 report on fraud and cyber crime vulnerabilities in the legal sector.