Legal
Gove accelerates reform of ‘feudal’ leasehold system
Housing secretary Michael Gove is bringing forward plans to reform England's "outdated" leasehold system.
Michael Gove said leasehold is 'just an unfair form of property ownership'
Required Reading: Japanese knotweed & the law
As the number of legal cases involving Japanese knotweed continue to rise, Rachel Redwood explains how a vendor in SW London has ended up facing a bill of £200k, and what buyers and sellers need to…
Register of Overseas Entities: 31st Jan deadline looms large
New rules are 'already having a major impact on UK real estate transactions and any overseas entities that own affected UK real estate and have not yet registered their beneficial owners at Companies…
Policy Watch: Three big resi reforms to watch this year
2023 will see some major - and long-awaited - changes to the legislative landscape. Two lawyers look ahead to some key reforms that are likely to affect the residential property sector...
FCS teams up with the NCA for Rightmove AML session
The number of Suspicious Activity Reports being filed with the National Crime Agency is on the up, says Malcolm Driscoll of FCS Compliance. 'Understanding when to file a SAR and the process itself is important.
Upward Extension Tangles: On the pitfalls & opportunities of Permitted Development Rights
Roy Pinnock of Dentons explores the complex use and ramifications of permitted development rights at a property development in Newbury.
On a rare mixed-use SDLT success for the taxpayer
The buyer of a barn conversion with 39 acres has managed to pull-off a 'rare win' to pay the lower Stamp Duty rate for mixed-use properties, says Helen Coward of Charles Russell Speechlys.
Home-owner wins payout from Grosvenor over ‘pimps ruining Mayfair’
The Duke of Westminster's property company has reportedly been fined for not doing enough to prevent antisocial behaviour in Mayfair.
Property listing Material Information to include broadband, flood risks & renewable energy sources
National Trading Standards has revealed more about what will be in future 'material information' requirements for property listings.
‘Far more than just bricks & mortar’: What buyers need to know about branded residences
'From a legal perspective, the branded residence is more complex than a traditional purchase,' write Penny Cox and Jessica Lewis, 'for it is far more than just bricks and mortar.'
European court rules public registers of beneficial owners are ‘invalid’
A judgement by Europe's top law court has thrown public registers of beneficial owners - such as the UK's current attempt to shine a light on opaque overseas property ownership structures - into doubt.
Mapped: Offshore-owned residential property in London
'There are far more properties held offshore than previously estimated,' says a new report.