Regulation & Law
News articles looking at national legislation and local regulation and the application of law to the residential property industry.
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Ombudsman responds to conditional selling scandal with new guidance
Lesley Horton at The Property Ombudsman says estate agents caught pressurising buyers to use their in-house services breach the code of practice.
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MP accuses ‘dodgy’ estate agents of hiding frozen assets
Some in the property sector are part of a “professional enabler network” helping sanctioned individuals sidestep UK asset freezes, according to MP Lloyd Hatton.
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North London landlord fined £9,000 for “dangerous state” of suspected unlicensed HMO
Harrow Council issued an Emergency Prohibition Order after inspection revealed a gas leak, a broken boiler and missing smoke alarms at converted Edgware property.
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Senior agency figure rejects claim upfront info will not work
James Bedford of Bedfords in East Anglia tells The Neg a leading conveyancing body is wrong to suggest mandatory upfront information would be a mistake.
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Welsh council to force the sale of empty houses
Pembrokeshire Council is to 'ramp up' its campaign against owners of empty and holiday homes.
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Majority of conveyancers reject binding sales contract plans
Law Society says mandatory agreements would increase dispute risk unless wider conveyancing reforms and consistent upfront information standards are in place first.
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Council admits fines ineffective at controlling rogue landlords
Northern council has been forced into issuing banning orders after its failure to collect civil penalty fines has meant they are not seen as a deterrent.
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Landlords ‘not ready’ for new HMRC tax filing rules
Property owners earning above £50,000 in rental income will have to send quarterly tax returns to HMRC from April.
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CLAIM: Mansion Tax will cost more than it raises
Former council tax valuer has raised concerns about data gaps, valuation methodology and the administrative costs of assessing 150,000 high-value homes.
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Industry body calls for high-volume conveyancers to be regulated
Low-value conveyancers cause “inefficiencies and process bottlenecks” and result in frustration and disjointed communication, according to the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX).
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