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Latest Property News

Property weekly highlights—17 April 2025

This week's edition of Property weekly highlights includes: cases on relief from forfeiture granted to residential sub-tenants of a mixed-use building and stamp duty land tax, new versions of the MCL leases, an update from HM Land Registry on its registration service and a Property and Related Services Threat Assessment Report on financial sanctions.

HMLR publishes blog post on registration service improvements

HM Land Registry (HMLR) has published a blog post, highlighting recent improvements to its registration service. Key operational changes include the recruitment of 2,000 new caseworkers and the launch of a Land Registration Academy for their training, organisational restructuring to better meet market demands, and increased investment in automation, artificial intelligence, and secure digital services to reduce delays and enhance accuracy. HMLR also surpassed its March 2025 goal of processing 95% of applications within 12 months of their submission. From April 2025, firms will receive emails with insights into common avoidable errors and how to prevent them. HMLR is also improving its Estimated Completion Date tool for more accurate timelines. Additionally, it plans to publish a new Business Plan and Strategy in response to expectations set by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook MP, in March 2025, focusing on automating simpler tasks, improving digital checks to reduce requisitions, simplifying fees, and supporting a more streamlined, digital homebuying process.

OFSI releases Property sector threat assessment report on financial sanctions

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has published its Property and Related Services Threat Assessment Report. The report forms part of OFSI's sector-specific assessment series examining threats and vulnerabilities in UK financial sanctions compliance, delivered as part of their commitment under Economic Crime Plan two. The report aims to help property sector stakeholders develop risk-based approaches to sanctions compliance.

Property vests in trustees in bankruptcy and court grants orders for possession and sale (Armstrong and another v Bhattacharya and another)

Restructuring & Insolvency analysis: The High Court granted the applications of trustees in bankruptcy for orders under section 14 of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA 1996) and section 335A of the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986) that property which the bankrupts legally owned—but asserted was beneficially owned by their daughters, did in fact vest in the trustees and an order for possession and sale should be made. The case highlights the importance of clear, contemporaneous documentary evidence and a consistent case in circumstances where a person wishes to demonstrate that ownership of a property differs to that which is recorded at the Land Registry (or elsewhere). It is also important to adduce evidence from all relevant witnesses in support of your case. Written by Laura Newbery, legal director at Addleshaw Goddard LLP.