The article discusses LMS and its senior figure Matt Hahn as a key driver behind efforts to modernise home buying and selling in England and Wales. It highlights the National Property Transaction Network (NPTN), which aims to bring brokers, lenders, agents and conveyancers onto a shared digital platform and support forthcoming government reforms.
The article argues that, despite uncertainty ahead of the Budget, buyers and sellers can reduce transaction delays by preparing early. It highlights the importance of organising financial evidence for AML checks, reviewing title documents in advance, and starting leasehold information requests early to keep conveyancing moving.
The Law Society is urging government, regulators and local authorities to provide stronger support for small law firms and sole practitioners, citing recruitment difficulties, rising costs and regulatory burdens. Its research suggests smaller firms are under particular pressure from professional indemnity insurance, wage inflation and compliance demands, and may struggle to keep pace with larger firms investing in technology and AI.
The Technology and Construction Court refused to delay enforcement of a £1.6m adjudication judgment against LUC Construction, despite its argument that immediate payment could threaten its business. The court held that a party claiming inability to pay must evidence why funds cannot be raised from shareholders or other sources, and found LUC had not done so.
The article argues that residential conveyancing firms are facing a capacity shortage rather than a simple recruitment shortage, with practitioner numbers falling while transaction volumes recover. It says rising compliance and administrative burdens are leaving fee earners overstretched, and that firms need to improve support structures, technology and caseload management to retain staff and maintain service levels.
Warrington Council has reapproved Habiko’s plans for a 240-home affordable housing scheme on the former DW Sports site off Academy Way, removing a planning barrier to a £38m Homes England grant. The council’s earlier Section 106 requirement was dropped after Homes England said the grant could not be allocated if the affordable provision was secured through that legal agreement.
LEASE’s latest Shared Ownership Insight Report identifies recurring problems reported by shared owners, including poor communication, landlord non-compliance with lease terms, and difficulties with repairs, service charges and resale or staircasing processes. The report also highlights concerns around building insurance costs, redress routes and uncertainty linked to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.
The article examines how the Law Society’s draft Conveyancing Protocol would affect AI-generated additional enquiries in conveyancing. It argues that the real control on machine-written enquiries is not the AI clause itself, but the protocol’s rules on whether an enquiry is specific, necessary, and not already answerable from publicly available or supplied information.
HM Land Registry reports a substantial reduction in avoidable requisitions between 2022 and 2025, with the number of error points falling from 839,000 to 439,000. The agency attributes the improvement to better data use, stronger pre-submission checks and more targeted training, while the Council for Licensed Conveyancers says post-completion accuracy remains under close scrutiny.
Landmark’s Q3 2026 market overview says the housing market in England and Wales remains subdued but steady, with healthy stock levels and asking-price reductions not translating into stronger buyer activity. Rising borrowing costs, wider uncertainty and speculation ahead of the Autumn Budget are contributing to lower SSTC volumes, weaker search orders and fewer completions year-on-year.
Manchester City Council has identified seven locations for potential new conservation areas as part of its local plan review, which would be the first additions since the 1990s. If approved, the city would increase its conservation areas from 35 to 42, with developers in the affected areas needing to demonstrate how proposals protect local character.
Land Data has confirmed that Elan Technology Group will become a licensed NLIS Hub channel in October 2026, with a direct transition to Next Gen NLIS planned for March 2027. The move is intended to support more secure, streamlined access to official conveyancing search data and align with the forthcoming Land Data Trust Framework.
