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KEYWORD "Crime" - 100 RESULTS
High risk, poor verification - How SmartSearch can help estate agents mitigate the risk of working with international individuals

Estate agents working with international individuals can face a significant risk of encountering money laundering activities. The complex nature of cross-border...

24 August 2024

From: Features

Multi-million pound house ‘forfeited’ by wife of jailed banker

The wife of a jailed banker has agreed to forfeit a house in Knightsbridge worth approximately £14m and a golf club...

07 August 2024

From: Breaking News

Industry-backed open letter calls for agency regulation

Propertymark and RICS are among industry bodies that have backed an open letter to the new Housing Secretary calling for the...

15 July 2024

From: Breaking News

First-time buyers moving further to get on the property ladder – research

Affordability concerns are prompting many first-time buyers to consider moving more than 30 miles on average from their preferred location to...

27 June 2024

From: Breaking News

Industry Views - Keir! Rishi! - What About Housing?

And so we wait. The election, still only a week old and with almost five left to go, has served up main...

01 June 2024

From: Features

Estate agents fined more than £3m for failing to register for AML

Estate agents were fined a total of more than £3m in the nine months to September 2023 for failing to register...

22 May 2024

From: Features

PropTech Today - Why we can't afford not to be alive to the growing risk of cyber fraud

THE property sector has embraced technology and the enormous benefits that it can bring. Never was this more accurately demonstrated than during...

15 May 2024

From: Breaking News

Free Property Report tool rolled out to Alto users

Alto is rolling out free Property Valuation Reports for agents.  The tool can be accessed directly from individual property record pages, and...

02 May 2024

From: Breaking News

Surge in agents’ Suspicious Activity Reports filed to National Crime Agency

There’s been a significant rise in the number of so-called Suspicious Activity Reports concerning money laundering and the agency industry. Suspicious Activity...

01 May 2024

From: Breaking News

Housing costs still a major concern for majority of UK adults

The cost of housing continues to be a major concern to the majority of adults in the UK, according to the...

29 April 2024

From: Breaking News

Are property firms strengthening financial crime measures with comprehensive business checks?

Regulated firms across all sectors will be well aware of Know Your Customer (KYC) checks and their importance in combatting financial...

13 April 2024

From: Features

Key actions conveyancers must take to protect against fraud risk

Fraud poses a significant challenge for residential conveyancers, with criminals often attempting to exploit the transaction process for money laundering purposes. The...

13 April 2024

From: Features

How estate agents can help win the war on financial crime

Financial crime within the property sector is on the rise and the stats are alarming. According to data from Apex Bridging,...

23 March 2024

From: Features

More than 3,000 estate agents at risk of fines and prison for failing to register with HMRC for AML supervision

Digital compliance specialist SmartSearch can help estate agents comply quickly and efficiently Around one in five estate agents are not registered for...

24 February 2024

From: Features

Hamptons expands into Andorra with new partnership

Hamptons expands into Andorra with new partnership Hamptons has launched a partnership with Roc Propietats Estate Agents in Andorra that will include...

19 February 2024

From: Breaking News

Are estate agents too trusting of long-term clients?

There’s no question that trust is the bedrock of any longstanding client relationship. It is built on delivering on your promises...

03 February 2024

From: Features

PropTech Today - Cyber security - who holds the keys?

The recent cyber attack on CTS left around 80 conveyancing firms across the country commercially paralysed as the harm to their...

19 December 2023

From: Breaking News

Industry Views - Are Social Housing Landlords Worse Than Buy To Let Amateurs?

If you’ve paid even scant attention to Landlord Today or other trade titles, you’ll be familiar with the headlines about rogue...

04 November 2023

From: Features

SmartSearch launches innovative new solution to help estate agents and conveyancers detect dirty money

Leading digital compliance firm SmartSearch has launched an innovative new solution to help professionals working within the UK property sector to...

30 September 2023

From: Features

What is ‘mixed tenure’ and why are mixed tenure developments built?

The term mixed-tenure development usually refers to residential developments where different residential tenures are provided on the same site. Typically, tenure was...

30 August 2023

From: Sponsored Content

New figures highlight estate agents’ money laundering failings

For most people, buying a house or flat is the largest financial commitment they will ever make. Which is why many...

26 August 2023

From: Features

Selective Licensing: What you need to know

In recent years, the UK private rented sector has witnessed a significant increase in government regulation aimed at raising standards for...

12 August 2023

From: Features

Agents urged to back employee safety pledges

Agents and other businesses are being encouraged back a new joint initiative from employee protection firm Peoplesafe and the Crimestoppers charity. The...

25 July 2023

From: Breaking News

Money-saving hacks to help you cut costs on home insurance

According to research, the average cost of home insurance was £300 in 2022 – a record low. However, this could increase...

22 July 2023

From: Features

Estate agents need to know: How can digital ID tools help you with AML?

Tackling economic crime is part of the day job for estate agents. But how can the latest digital ID tools help...

12 July 2023

From: Features

Biometric Checks: Adding Some Magic to KYC and AML Compliance for Estate Agents

Step right up and witness the extraordinary world of Estate Agents as they embrace the power of biometric checks, turning the...

28 June 2023

From: Features

Agents urged to be more suspicious

Increasing numbers of estate agents are submitting suspicious activity reports (SARS) but questions are being raised about whether there should be...

15 June 2023

From: Breaking News

Why a traditional KYC approach is no longer fit for purpose for property firms

Amidst mounting regulatory pressure and the escalating threat of financial crime, property firms must embrace innovation to protect themselves and their...

13 May 2023

From: Features

Tackling fraud in the current climate - what’s the reality for agents?

Property fraud is a significant risk for agents, particularly as fake IDs become increasingly prevalent, and the economic climate remains challenging....

06 May 2023

From: Features

Agents face a 'perfect storm' for money laundering

Recent research estimated that up to £100 billion is being stolen in the UK each year, with much of it due...

22 April 2023

From: Features

Agents unaware of Economic Crime Levy

The majority of estate agents are in the dark about the Government’s Economic Crime Levy (ECL), when it was implemented or...

19 April 2023

From: Breaking News

Revealed – what estate agents need to know to succeed at compliance in 2023

The dreaded ‘C word’ – compliance – has been facing Estate Agents for years now and it’s not going anywhere. Looking ahead...

15 April 2023

From: Features

New AML levy set to hit larger agents

Agents of all sizes are being urged to make themselves aware of a new anti-money laundering (AML) charge that has come...

11 April 2023

From: Breaking News

Estate agents ‘putting client details at risk’ - warning 

Estate agents could be putting their clients’ personal details at risk by taking information such as addresses, bank account or passport details...

27 March 2023

From: Breaking News

Planning to address women's fear of crime

Recent tragic deaths of women walking home alone, notably Sarah Everard, have highlighted the need to address gender inequality in the...

25 March 2023

From: Features

Agenda-setting campaign exposes AML loopholes

SmartSearch, the UK’s leading provider of digital compliance, has published an agenda-setting whitepaper to highlight the anti-money laundering shortcomings and sanctions...

25 February 2023

From: Features

Agency software provider receives cybersecurity certification

Agency software provider Reapit has achieved ISO 27001 certification for information security management. The certification means that Reapit has implemented one of...

23 January 2023

From: Breaking News

FCS Compliance and National Crime Agency to present Rightmove webinar

FCS Compliance and the National Crime Agency (NCA) have joined forces to present the first Rightmove anti-money laundering (AML) webinar of...

17 January 2023

From: Breaking News

Stocking filler? New book highlights 'crimes against property'

A chartered surveyor has highlighted 15 ‘crimes against property’ in a new book that aims to prevent owners from damaging the...

20 December 2022

From: Breaking News

Property Jobs Today - the movers, shakers and people in the news

It has been another busy month for job moves in the estate agency sector. Here are some of the latest moves that...

30 November 2022

From: Breaking News

Stamp duty cut - much needed boost or short term fix? Either way, estate agents need to prepare for the rush

The Government’s mini budget on September 23 was anything but ‘mini’ with several major announcements one of the most significant of...

17 October 2022

From: Sponsored Content

Going digital is the answer to sector compliancy woes

If recent headlines are anything to go by, estate agents and the wider property industry are not just feeling the heavy...

15 October 2022

From: Features

Home Sweet Home: Experts Advise on What to Look for When Buying a House

You've finally found the perfect house. It's within your budget, has the desired number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and even comes...

13 October 2022

From: PropTech & Innovation

Buyers of rural homes need more upfront info about hunt crime - claim

Estate agents selling rural homes have been urged to provide better levels of upfront information regarding homes in the countryside that...

11 October 2022

From: Breaking News

New AML webinar for Rightmove users to focus on ‘reliance’

FCS Compliance has announced the latest in its anti-money laundering (AML) series of webinars with Rightmove.  The latest is titled The Role...

06 October 2022

From: Breaking News

 Agents ‘wrongly’ rely on hard copy AML checks

Agents are ‘wrongly’ relying on hard copies of identity documents to verify people’s identities in anti-money laundering (AML) checks, new research...

31 August 2022

From: Breaking News

Messy gardens & dangerous décor: 10 ways first-time buyers can be fined up to £5,000

As Britain’s housing boom continues,  SDL Property Auctions has warned of ten ways new homeowners could be fined up to £5,000...

26 July 2022

From: Legislation & Compliance

Property Natter – why is the property market joining the podcast party?

If there’s one thing that received a boost as a result of Covid and lockdowns, it’s podcasts – which reached whole...

16 July 2022

From: Features

AML warning: Financial criminals targeting smaller property firms

Anti-money laundering (AML) software provider SmartSearch is warning of a rise in financial crime, particularly targeting smaller property firms. A survey of...

15 July 2022

From: Breaking News

Time is running out for legacy customer checks

As another round of property firms is fined, named and shamed for breaching anti-money laundering rules, it feels like the road...

18 June 2022

From: Features

Property Natter: ‘the only way to bring about change is to be proactive’

In this latest ‘Women in Property’ edition of the Natter, I check in with Collette Allen, who was recently appointed as...

28 May 2022

From: Features

Agents prepare for planning overhaul as sector digests Queen's Speech

Agents have pledged to keep a close eye on planning reforms amid a proposed overhaul announced in the Queen’s Speech yesterday. Prince...

11 May 2022

From: Breaking News

Queen’s Speech: How proposed laws may help or hinder estate agents

The Queen’s Speech has unveiled proposed overhauls on planning, consumer and economic crime laws that could all have an effect on...

10 May 2022

From: Breaking News

'Frightening' number of 'agents' unaware of where to report AML concerns

A ‘frightening’ number of respondents to a Rightmove online poll appear to be unaware of their anti-money laundering reporting requirements. The portal...

05 May 2022

From: Breaking News

New Deputy for TPO as industry gears up for change

A new Deputy Ombudsman, Lesley Horton, has been appointed by The Property Ombudsman Scheme. She will work alongside Property Ombudsman, Rebecca Marsh,...

21 April 2022

From: Breaking News

Client money and the regulation governing it is changing

PayProp’s recent Rental Confidence Index survey polled property professionals about their biggest concerns for 2022. Unsurprisingly, new regulations were a top...

09 April 2022

From: Features

Russian attempts to buy property - legal warning over sanctions

A legal expert has warned that everyone is theoretically at risk of committing a breach of sanctions against Russia - but...

16 March 2022

From: Breaking News

Russians in London given six months to reveal true ownership or sell-up

The UK government appears to have given sanctioned Russian property owners a get-out-of-jail card valid for six months.  It’s been confirmed that...

10 March 2022

From: Breaking News

Confiscate oligarchs’ homes and sell them to raise cash for Ukraine - call

The Mayor of London is demanding ministers take sanctioning Russian oligarchs seriously by moving immediately to seize assets that can then...

08 March 2022

From: Breaking News

Will The Lights Go On Again In Central London?

Almost exactly a decade ago I wrote a blog on the back of a spate on mainstream news stories about prime...

05 March 2022

From: Features

Government may seize homes of key Russians without compensation

The government is considering seizing British property owned by Russian oligarchs on the sanctions list without paying compensation. The Financial Times says Housing...

03 March 2022

From: Breaking News

Law to reveal foreign owners may apply 20 years retrospectively

It is claimed by Propertymark that the government’s Economic Crime Bill - to be debated in the House of Commons today -...

01 March 2022

From: Breaking News

Opinion: The property sector should take action now, not wait for the Economic Crime Bill

The outcome of the Ukraine crisis is far from certain, but one thing has become abundantly clear. The long-overdue Economic Crime...

26 February 2022

From: Features

A Lesson for Agents from the Ukraine Crisis

If the UK and its allies have been played by Russia over the Ukraine ‘invasion’, and it’s beginning to look that...

19 February 2022

From: Features

Insight - an estate agents’ guide to AML

The UK property industry has long been a target of fraudsters due to the low levels of transparency and the fact...

12 February 2022

From: Features

Housing ministers line up to back beleaguered PM Johnson

Housing ministers have lined up in recent days to support beleaguered Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Housing minister Chris Pincher, upon hearing of new...

07 February 2022

From: Breaking News

Housing Reform proposals to change economy by 2030

The government’s new Levelling Up White Paper, revealed this morning includes a radical reshaping of the private rental sector. Section 21 eviction...

02 February 2022

From: Breaking News

Property Natter – the agency helping homeless people move closer to their own home

Our Agents Do Charity column each Friday does a fantastic job of highlighting the amazing charitable work of agents up and...

29 January 2022

From: Features

Purplebricks - It's My Property and I Will Sell It To Who I Want

Was Purplebricks right to delist a property from its website when it discovered the vendors - a Christian couple - were opposed...

28 January 2022

From: Breaking News

Property Fraud - Agents have key role to deter crime

An hour-long webinar this week aims to inform agents how to deter property fraud by greater emphasis on compliance, due diligence...

25 January 2022

From: Breaking News

Agent Alert - “more and more” cyber attacks on companies

A warning has gone out to estate agents that “more and more” reports are being filed about cyber attacks on agencies...

12 January 2022

From: Breaking News

Stop Property Fraudsters - new guide released

A new guide to help avoid property title fraud, where home ownership can be stolen, has been released by the Fraud...

15 December 2021

From: Breaking News

Identity theft and fraud - how it happens and how to prevent it

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on all aspects of our lives, but undoubtedly one major negative side effect...

11 December 2021

From: Features

Property Fraud - how agents can combat a growing threat

Property fraud is on the rise and early in 2022 agents will have an opportunity to attend a webinar featuring a...

08 December 2021

From: Breaking News

Are you fit to fight financial crime in property transactions?  

I’ve worked in financial crime for the past seven years, beginning my career as a white collar crime litigator in a law firm. I know that the...

04 December 2021

From: Features

Countdown to Christmas: Letting agent's guide to a stress-free holiday

While the Christmas season is usually heralded by an influx of terrible Christmas adverts, the launch of Starbucks’ gingerbread lattes, Adam...

01 December 2021

From: Features

Cyber-Attack: Agents must learn from Simplify IT catastrophe

Agents must have a robust plan in place in case they are subjected to a ransomware cyber attack, says the Guild...

23 November 2021

From: Breaking News

A guide for Money Laundering Officers: Championing AML compliance in your agency

Increasingly rigorous Money Laundering Directives have made regulations in the property industry more stringent than ever, and Estate Agents have a...

22 November 2021

From: Legislation & Compliance

Fears grow that agencies may have to pay new Economic Crimes Levy

Fears are growing that large estate agency groups may have to pay a mandatory levy towards the cost of anti-money laundering...

11 November 2021

From: Breaking News

Agency owner jailed for “utterly despicable crime”

The owner of an estate agency in Sussex has been jailed for five years for what a judge has called “an...

11 November 2021

From: Breaking News

“Devastating lack of due diligence” slammed in property fraud case

A prominent law expert is claiming that a high profile case of property fraud, reported earlier this week, involved a “devastating...

05 November 2021

From: Breaking News

Property Fraud: A house is sold without owner’s knowledge

A BBC investigation has revealed that a man’s house was sold and his furnishings removed without his knowledge, in the latest...

02 November 2021

From: Breaking News

Sustainability and automation – how can agents reduce their carbon footprint?

We have all heard the terrible forecasts and listened to Sir David Attenborough’s speeches on the environment and the “we still...

30 October 2021

From: Features

Why the UK property market is at the centre of global tax avoidance and financial crime

The Pandora Papers - the biggest ever leak of offshore data - has revealed that the UK’s property market is being...

30 October 2021

From: Features

Fake conveyancers diverting purchase funds into fraudsters’ wallets

Buyers are being warned about scams conning people out of hundreds of thousands of pounds. The Law Society of England and Wales...

25 October 2021

From: Breaking News

What Every Letting Agent Should Know about the Economic Crime Levy (ECL)

Disclaimer: This article is intended for information only and does not constitute legal advice. As part of its 2020 budget, the UK...

23 October 2021

From: Features

Burglar who ransacked independent agency escapes jail

A burglar who ransacked an independent agency’s branch office and stole equipment worth almost £2,000 has escaped prison. Bilal Hemmi of Windsor...

07 October 2021

From: Breaking News

RICS Scandal - Senior figures quit but “no fraud or crime” says QC

The independent QC leading a review into the governance scandal at the RICS says there was “no fraudulent or criminal misbehaviour”...

10 September 2021

From: Breaking News

Better AML solutions needed amid warnings of possible impacts of Afghanistan exit on financial crime

Regulators are warning the UK’s property, finance and legal sectors to be aware of the possible impacts of the exit from...

09 September 2021

From: Sponsored Content

Agent faces prison after defrauding pensioner out of £160,000

An estate agent with stomach cancer faces a prison sentence after pleading guilty of defrauding an 80 year old pensioner out...

12 August 2021

From: Breaking News

Stalking warning on anniversary of tragic agent's disappearance

Thirty-five years after London estate agent Suzy Lamplugh disappeared, the trust that bears her name is calling for action to address...

05 August 2021

From: Breaking News

Agent who accosted Whitty charged with common assault

The estate agent who accosted England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has been charged with common assault. Lewis Hughes, 23 and...

02 July 2021

From: Breaking News

Tragedy as well-known industry expert dies suddenly

The founder and managing director of FCS Compliance, Jerry Walters, has died suddenly. A statement from the company says he died during...

01 July 2021

From: Breaking News

As buyers race to save, agents should focus on sales, not compliance

The property market was expected to struggle to recover after the first lockdown, but, thanks to the stamp duty holiday and...

30 June 2021

From: Features

Brexit heightens risks for agents who fail key compliance tests

An assessment by a risk solutions firm shows that estate agents are on average just 53 per cent of the way...

25 May 2021

From: Breaking News

Q&A with Jerry Walters – why the AML clock is ticking for letting agents

With property fraud on the rise and an ever-increasing number of transactions taking place in the lettings sector, having strict anti-money laundering...

22 May 2021

From: Features

Portal Data Breaches: security should tighten says tech expert

The man behind the free-to-list portal Residential People says security across all portals should be tightened, with so-called Two Factor Authentication...

18 May 2021

From: Breaking News

Cybercrime warning to estate agents holding sensitive data

A leading industry trade body is warning that remote-working agents and smaller independent agencies are particularly vulnerable to the growing threat...

14 May 2021

From: Breaking News

Leaving the EU does not mean leaving Anti-Money Laundering Laws behind

Brexit means that the UK’s anti-money laundering laws are no longer governed by the European Union (EU), but any estate agents...

10 May 2021

From: Sponsored Content

Vote, Vote, Vote - Housing and the 2021 Local Elections

Local elections rarely set the pulse racing and this year’s poll on Thursday faces a similar problem. But this time, it’s a...

01 May 2021

From: Features

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