The article argues that the UK economy and property market remain uneven, with some signs of stabilisation but persistent regional and sectoral weakness. It highlights the Bank of England’s expected Bank Rate decision at 3.75%, ongoing inflation and energy-price pressures, and continued caution among SMEs, housebuilders and property investors.
The article argues that residential conveyancing in 2026 is being shaped by a more stable market, but firms still face pressure from long transaction times, client expectations and operational inefficiencies. It highlights the growing importance of upfront information, benchmarking and process improvement, alongside government-backed reform aimed at making property information available earlier in the transaction.
The article discusses the government’s proposal to require more upfront property information as part of home buying and selling reforms. It argues that the main benefit would be greater transparency and better-informed decisions, but only if the information is accurate, consistent, current and easy to understand.
The Home Builders Federation says delays and inconsistent requirements in the adoption of new roads are adding cost and uncertainty to housing delivery. Its report argues that long timescales, rising bond values and variable local authority fees are undermining the viability of new developments and increasing ongoing charges for residents on unadopted estates.
A new Compass report proposes replacing stamp duty and council tax with a flat-rate proportional property tax charged annually at 0.48% of property value. The report argues this would leave most UK households better off, raise additional revenue, and require primary legislation plus updated property valuations to implement over two to three years.
Project 28 marked its first anniversary with an industry event focused on accelerating residential transactions toward a 28-day exchange target. The discussion centred on upfront information, earlier risk identification, and closer collaboration between conveyancers, lenders, estate agents and technology providers to reduce delays and improve certainty.
New research from the Home Builders Federation says nine in ten local authority planning departments in England and Wales are operating below full staffing capacity. The report links these shortages to slower decision-making, with major application determination rates and Section 106 completion times both cited as evidence of pressure on the system.
The National Leasehold Campaign has urged the prime minister to bring forward the proposed £250 cap on ground rents, arguing it would provide more immediate and certain financial relief to leaseholders than the government’s plug-in solar initiatives. The group also called for faster leasehold reform, a shorter timetable for ending ground rents, and protections against additional fees linked to energy-saving measures.
