The Legal Services Board has approved SRA rule changes that separate compliance officer roles from senior managers and owners in higher-risk law firms. The new framework is intended to strengthen accountability, with phased implementation beginning in January 2027 and annual submissions for client money firms due from April 2027.
Practice Guide 78 has been updated with a new section on the dissolution of overseas entities. The addition highlights that land registration issues can become more complex where an overseas entity proprietor has been dissolved in its home jurisdiction, even if it is later restored.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has published a new round of anti-money laundering sanctions totalling £137,000 against multiple law firms for failures in firm-wide risk assessments, policies, controls and procedures, and client/matter risk assessments. The decisions show a range of breaches, with several firms having already taken remedial steps and the SRA noting low risk of harm or repetition in some cases.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has fined two law firms and one solicitor for breaches of client account rules, including improper use of client money, dormant balances and failures in accountants’ reporting. The cases involved repeated compliance failures over extended periods, although the SRA noted there was no evidence of dishonesty or financial gain in the matters reported.
The article argues that conveyancing firms should not trust AI tools simply because they produce fluent, confident answers. It says suppliers should be asked how accuracy was measured, against what benchmark, and how the tool performs on high-risk errors, especially where outputs are relied on as assurances.
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has challenged a Legal Services Consumer Panel report, saying it still contains inaccuracies despite a published clarification. The dispute centres on how the BBC Panorama investigation into conditional selling and referral fees was described, and whether the CLC was unfairly linked to the practices under scrutiny.
Environet’s latest analysis shows Bristol remains the UK’s highest-density hotspot for Japanese knotweed for a second consecutive year, with Merseyside and Greater London also ranking highly. The article highlights the plant’s widespread presence across the UK and its potential to reduce property values and create significant economic costs.
The Planning Inspectorate has updated procedural guidance for Section 62A planning applications involving authorities in special measures. The changes reflect additional designated local planning authorities, revised application and questionnaire documents, and clarifications to submission, recovery, and Community Infrastructure Levy/planning obligations processes.
LEASE has combined its lease length checker and lease extension calculator into a single online tool for leaseholders in England and Wales. The service is intended to help users assess remaining lease term, estimate extension costs and understand next steps, with LEASE highlighting that many owners only become aware of lease length issues when selling, remortgaging or extending.
LEASE has launched a free online tool for leaseholders in England and Wales to check remaining lease term and estimate lease extension costs, combining its previous lease length checker and calculator. The accompanying analysis suggests around 8% of residential leases have 80 to 90 years remaining, with the highest concentration in London, the South East and Eastern regions.
Conveyancers face an HMRC deadline to register as tax advisers by 18 August if they submit SDLT returns or otherwise interact with HMRC on clients’ property tax matters. While registration itself appears manageable for many firms, commentators warn that the requirement may mark the start of broader compliance expectations around identifying and escalating complex SDLT issues.
The article argues that first-time buyer deposits are becoming harder to verify because more buyers are using multiple accounts and gifted contributions to assemble funds. It says this is increasing source-of-funds checks and friction for conveyancers, particularly where giftors must also be verified to the same regulatory standard.
