Stamp duty change hasn’t boosted first time buyer demand – RICS (EAT)
An overwhelming 86 per cent of RICS members questioned in a survey claim they have seen no increase in interest from first time buyers, despite the scrapping of stamp duty […]
AllAgents names Purplebricks as ‘worst rated agency for 2017’ (EAT)
The war between AllAgents review website and Purplebricks has continued with the site naming the hybrid agency the “worst rated one star firm” for 2017.
Landmark case could reduce leasehold extension costs (TC)
A long-running legal battle regarding how the cost of lease extensions are calculated could significantly impact the property industry.
Stamp Duty surcharge almost cost estate agent £14,000 on his own purchase (PIE)
Rules on the 3% Stamp Duty surcharge are so confusing that even an experienced estate agent almost fell foul of them.
Co-op moves online to cater for divorces at all hours (LSG)
Co-op Legal Services today announced the creation of an online divorce service designed to cater around the clock for couples who want to start proceedings immediately on deciding to split […]
Lessons from the failure of an innovative law firm – “It’s harder than it looks” (LF)
The pioneering owner of an innovative law firm that was “ahead of its time” but failed has taken the highly unusual step of laying out the reasons why it did […]
Ground Rent: We feel like prisoners in our own home!
Thousands of home buyers remain trapped in their own homes made unsaleable by developers such as Taylor Wimpey.
Sajid Javid sets out his housing dream but has Help to Buy become a nightmare? (PIE)
Official data has suggested a sharp slowdown in the use of the Government’s flagship Help to Buy scheme on the same day that Sajid Javid outlined his newly titled Housing, […]
Law Society to introduce training quality committee in wake of setbacks (LF)
The Law Society is to launch a new ‘quality and standards in education’ committee, after a year in which its training arrangements have come under sustained pressure.
Will conveyancers accept bitcoins as payment? (LF)
Created in 2009, virtual currency bitcoin has seen a surge over the past year – both in terms of recognition and market value.
Law Society sets up group to clarify VAT for property searches (LSG)
The Law Society is establishing a working group to update conveyancing solicitors on how to handle VAT for electronic property searches following a first-tier tribunal ruling.
Don’t ban referral fees (PIE)
Referral fees paid by conveyancers to estate agents should not be banned – but their existence and their value should be disclosed.