x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.
KEYWORD "Penalties" - 96 RESULTS
Agents Do Charity - exceeding expectations

Welcome to this week’s Agents Do Charity, our chance to salute those who do so much to help others. If your agency...

05 July 2024

From: Breaking News

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

Mastering Tenant Deposits: A Guide for Letting Agents

Managing tenant deposits is a crucial part of any letting agent’s responsibilities. Ensuring compliance with regulations and safeguarding both landlord and...

08 May 2024

From: Features

Trading Standards: Material information rules should be seen as positive

Material information requirements should be seen by agents as a positive change, a Trading Standards investigator has claimed. Speaking to The Guild...

11 April 2024

From: Breaking News

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

Common Pitfalls: Avoiding Fines in UK Property Transactions

As you begin the process of property transactions in the UK, it's important to understand potential pitfalls that may result in...

16 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

Overseas property ownership register hits 30,000 milestone

The Register of Overseas Entities has hit the 30,000 registration milestone. The register, which is administered by Companies House, came into force...

03 January 2024

From: Breaking News

Top tips to promote the real value of your letting agency

The role of a residential landlord has changed considerably over the years. What was once a relatively straightforward means of generating...

18 November 2023

From: Features

The stress-free guide to Self Assessment

By Jashoda Pindoria, Head of Self Assessment Operations, HMRC Self Assessment need not be daunting with HMRC’s simple steps on getting started....

04 November 2023

From: Features

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

Whatever Happened To Good Councils?

Like most parts of the UK, the one I live in has a bit of a beef about parking. More precisely,...

29 July 2023

From: Features

Estate agency AML fines on the rise

The average anti-money laundering (AML) fine issued to estate agents for non-compliance so far during 2022/23 has already crept beyond the...

19 July 2023

From: Breaking News

Jonathan Rolande: Is this the week that everything changed?

The National Association of Property Buyers’ Jonathan Rolande gives his take on a manic week for the property market. I dearly hope I...

16 June 2023

From: Breaking News

Is your letting business still compliant?

Following publication of the Renter’s Reform Bill and the media coverage surrounding it, many agents and their landlords will understandably have...

27 May 2023

From: Features

What is keeping estate agents awake at night in 2023?

Two of the biggest challenges facing the property industry right now are fraud and money laundering. The scale of these activities is...

15 February 2023

From: Features

New AML overseas company rules go live as thousands miss deadline

Thousands of foreign companies with property in the UK have failed to declare their true owners. It comes as new anti-money laundering (AML)...

02 February 2023

From: Breaking News

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

Don’t leave AML checks to your accountant, agents advised

Agents are being urged to keep an eye on their HMRC Government Gateway Account to ensure they don’t miss messages and...

19 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

World Cup Agent Match Report: ‘The better team lost’

They think it’s all over, it is now as we publish our final World Cup Agent Match report following England’s quarter...

14 December 2022

From: Breaking News

Purplebricks regulation review highlights ‘instances of non-compliance’

An internal review has found examples of non-compliance with regulations at Purplebricks, the online agent’s half-year results have revealed, which could...

08 December 2022

From: Breaking News

PropTech Today: how PropTech can ensure compliance within the sector

With the ever-persistent compliance hurdles materialising within the property market, Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, speaks about how the use of...

03 November 2022

From: Breaking News

Agents must take AML seriously after huge HMRC crackdown

Dozens of estate agents have been fined a combined total of £519,645 for failing to meet their obligations under anti-money laundering...

02 November 2022

From: Features

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

AML fines! Cases opened against Propertymark agents

Trade body Propertymark has revealed that it has opened compliance cases against a small number of members following the latest HMRC...

12 October 2022

From: Breaking News

What could a digitally enabled future look like for estate agents?

For years now estate agents have been on a journey from digital infancy to digital maturity. But what does the future...

03 August 2022

From: Features

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

Three regulatory updates agents need to know about in 2022

A wide range of upcoming legislative changes will affect the private rented sector. From new carbon monoxide alarm regulations to renters...

16 July 2022

From: Features

Agents offered free lunch and learn AML event

Anti-money laundering (AML) platform Credas is hosting a free lunch and learn session for estate agents in south Wales and south-west...

06 June 2022

From: Breaking News

New homeowners warned over fake stamp duty refund claims

New homeowners are being warned about cold calls from scammers advising them to make speculated stamp duty refund claims. The warning comes...

06 June 2022

From: Breaking News

40% of property firms fined For AML breaches had 'refused help'

Many of the property firms recently fined for anti-money laundering (AML) breaches have previously turned down help, Credas claims. It was revealed...

26 May 2022

From: Breaking News

Leasehold reform - what do agents and conveyancers need to know?

You will hopefully have seen that the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 has now received its Royal Assent, meaning it...

30 April 2022

From: Features

Q&A: What do new material information rules mean for estate agents?

From the beginning of April, long-awaited rules from the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) came into effect....

23 April 2022

From: Features

Property Natter: agency with a new concept and terrific fundraising

As regular readers will know, I like to use this column to shout out about the independent agents who are the...

12 March 2022

From: Features

HMRC Stamp Duty Crackdown - more experts warn of problems

Yesterday we reported on how the Chartered Institute of Taxation was warning of problems with new HMRC stamp duty rules to...

02 March 2022

From: Breaking News

Cyber-security in 2022: what do agents need to know?

I’m sure most readers would agree with me that cyber-security is vitally important for almost any business, particularly those businesses like...

12 February 2022

From: Features

Exclusive: Spot Checks on agents by Propertymark as ‘semi-regulator’

Propertymark conducts spot checks on agents to ensure they are compliant - but perhaps gives too little publicity to its role. The...

15 December 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

Agents fined by HMRC for breaches of anti-money laundering rules

Three property agents feature on the latest list of businesses in trouble for failing to comply with money laundering regulations. The list...

17 August 2021

From: Breaking News

Criticism of agency over racist tweet controversy - but is it fair?

There is growing criticism of Savills on social media following the controversy over a racist tweet apparently sent from the personal...

13 July 2021

From: Breaking News

EUROS: Heartache and tears - our Agent’s Report

A 3-2 loss on penalties. It’s sad and disappointing - desperately. Yet that gives way to pride when England’s performance across the whole...

12 July 2021

From: Breaking News

EUROS: Agent Match Report - is football really finally coming home?

So, who would have thought it? England finally beat Germany in a knockout game at a major competition - and it...

30 June 2021

From: Breaking News

EUROS: Joy and heartbreak- our Agent Match Reports

It was never going to be easy for Scotland - and there was no sense of jeopardy for an already-through England. Yet...

23 June 2021

From: Breaking News

Estate agents risk multi-million-pound fines if they don’t keep proper customer records

While running customer identification and verification checks is part and parcel of the onboarding process for estate agents, under UK anti...

01 June 2021

From: Sponsored Content

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

Capital Gains Tax glitch hits property sales, says accountancy firm

Some sellers are suffering cash flow issues as a result of glitches in the Capital Gains Tax reporting system, according to...

14 May 2021

From: Breaking News

The reality of RoPA – an alternative view on estate agency regulation

We have more regulations controlling the sector than ever before and we have more ‘regulators’ involved in controlling the sector than...

01 May 2021

From: Features

Slow conveyancers should suffer financial penalties, says PropTech man

The head of a PropTech platform wants financial penalties on conveyancers if transactions miss deadlines. “The only way to accelerate the current...

03 March 2021

From: Breaking News

How to ensure your letting business remains compliant

Being a letting agent today means keeping up to date with the long list of rules and regulations governing how a...

20 February 2021

From: Features

2021 preview – what do letting agencies need to prepare for?

As we approach the end of the year, there is no doubt that it has been a turbulent 12 months for...

02 January 2021

From: Features

Agents offered ‘leniency options’ to confess about industry cartels

New guidance spells out how leniency can be exercised on agencies or individuals who inform on anti-competition cartels of the kind that...

05 November 2020

From: Breaking News

Agents back investigation into “unfair sales tactics” over leasehold

NAEA Propertymark has thrown its weight behind a Competitions and Markets Authority investigation into whether consumer protection law has been broken...

07 September 2020

From: Breaking News

Vendors may have to estimate CGT on sales under new rule

A property tax specialist is warning that sellers of buy to lets or holiday homes may have to estimate their own...

29 April 2020

From: Breaking News

Electrical checks – how to get ahead of the current

By now, most letting agents and landlords will have heard about the draft legislation laid in Parliament concerning a mandatory minimum...

04 March 2020

From: Features

Watchdog issues “strong signal” to rogue agents who price-fix

The Competition and Markets Authority says it wants to send “a strong signal” to the estate agency industry that price-fixing will...

24 January 2020

From: Breaking News

Agents told to act on key change in Anti-Money Laundering law

The government introduced the Fifth EU Money Laundering Directive into UK law just before Christmas - and it has a significant implication for...

30 December 2019

From: Breaking News

Property Natter: let’s talk about conveyancing

It’s one of the most crucial aspects of the homebuying and selling process but is too often bogged down by frustrating...

21 December 2019

From: Features

Public asked to inform on other fee-fixing estate agents

The public are being asked to inform the authorities if they know of agents operating fee-fixing cartels. The request - from the...

18 December 2019

From: Breaking News

Anti-money laundering – acting on your suspicions

The Fifth Money Laundering Directive becomes law in the UK on January 10 2020, strengthening the responsibilities placed on private companies...

07 December 2019

From: Features

GDPR compliance - three key questions every agency must answer

There’s been a new warning to estate agents to check they are fully compliant with GDPR regulations following a European case...

04 December 2019

From: Breaking News

Reservation Agreements may need bigger penalties says Reapit chief

Reservation Agreements may require bigger financial penalties than the £500 to £1,000 currently envisaged if they are to work. That’s the view...

01 November 2019

From: Breaking News

Capital Gains Tax changes: owners advised to seek financial advice

A tax expert is urging owners of second homes, as well as property investors and existing landlords, to seek independent financial...

31 October 2019

From: Breaking News

Your new shop window is not a shop window

In the old days an agent would procure clients based upon their position in the high street, the size of the...

04 September 2019

From: Features

Agents warned to be in a redress scheme for ALL aspects of their work

Estate and letting agents are being urged to check that they are signed up with an approved redress scheme that covers...

25 July 2019

From: Breaking News

Radical reform for agency industry to be signed off by minister today

Some of the most radical reforms ever proposed for estate and letting agents are expected to be signed off today by...

15 July 2019

From: Breaking News

Give All Your £ to Google

In the last ten years Google's revenue, largely from pay per click ads (Adwords), has grown by 527% (Source: Statista). In...

03 July 2019

From: Sponsored Content

Many estate agencies at risk over data security, claims IT firm

An IT firm says small and medium-sized estate agencies without the infrastructure of large corporates are putting themselves and their customers...

21 May 2019

From: Breaking News

Estate agents 'no longer biggest money laundering risks', report suggests

A survey undertaken by the respected Economist Intelligence Unit and a risk solutions company suggests that estate agency may be one...

17 May 2019

From: Breaking News

MPs want agents views on anti-money laundering after shock HMRC swoop

HM Revenue & Customs has issued more details of its bid to encourage estate agents to combat money laundering in the...

05 March 2019

From: Breaking News

Countrywide hit with £215,000 fine in HMRC swoop on agents

It’s been revealed that Countrywide has been hit with a £215,000 fine as part of a swoop by HMRC cracking down...

04 March 2019

From: Breaking News

Reservation Agreements set to become part of the buying process

Politicians and officials are studying a ‘model’ two page reservation agreement drawn up by a law firm as a possible way...

24 January 2019

From: Breaking News

Three key dates for letting agents in 2019

With a new year nearly upon us, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the major events that are...

21 December 2018

From: Sponsored Content

Huge cash reward for estate agents who blow the whistle on price-fixing

The Competition and Markets Authority is stepping up its campaign to identify and prosecute companies behind cartels - and it’s offering...

24 October 2018

From: Breaking News

Agent defying advertising watchdog demands details of his 'penalties'

The estate agent who is refusing to abide by a decision of the Advertising Standards Authority is now demanding details of...

16 August 2018

From: Breaking News

Don’t fall foul of anti-money laundering rules

Does your company apply adequate customer due diligence measures when carrying out estate agency work?  Does it establish and maintain appropriate policies...

28 July 2018

From: Features

England win! - our match review features Emoov and Purplebricks (sort of...)

Any fingernails left after last night’s thriller? It was a cracker of a game, particularly the last 45 minutes...and then the...

04 July 2018

From: Breaking News

Corbyn's 'Healthy Homes Zones' will aim to save money for NHS

Labour says it wants ‘Healthy Homes Zones’ in a bid to reduce housing-related health inequalities which are estimated to cost the NHS £1.4...

03 July 2018

From: Breaking News

Agency hit by penalties because it didn't produce waste disposal paperwork

An estate agency has been ordered to pay £841 to a council - because it failed to provide paperwork about its...

24 April 2018

From: Breaking News

Warning to agents that HMRC is on the warpath over Anti-Money Laundering

A compliance specialist company is warning that as it believes relatively few estate agents fully understand their anti-money laundering obligations, firms...

05 March 2018

From: Breaking News

Agents fined hundreds of thousands but they're not made public, claims NAEA

Estate agents have been hit with six- and seven-figure fines under new anti-money laundering and anti-tax evasion regulations according to the...

22 January 2018

From: Breaking News

New 'For Sale By Owner' site by-passes agents and charges £65

A new website which completely by-passes all kinds of estate agents and allows vendors to upload details of their own properties...

09 November 2017

From: Breaking News

Tory-led body says second home owners should be penalised more

A think tank says the penalties now levied against second home owners - such as the stamp duty surcharge and phasing...

21 August 2017

From: Breaking News

Agents urged to prepare for EU data protection rule changes

An audit and tax consultancy is urging estate agencies across the UK to prepare for new EU General Data Protection Regulation...

01 June 2017

From: Breaking News

Why estate agents need to take compliance seriously

Some big news in the agency world last week won’t have escaped the attention of many in the industry. Last Thursday news...

14 March 2017

From: Sponsored Content

Council's For Sale/To Let board fines come into effect tomorrow

A controversial scheme in a London borough, limiting the size and duration of letting and estate agents’ boards on display, comes...

31 January 2017

From: Breaking News

Councils serving Fixed Penalties on agents leaving up For Sale boards

A number of local authorities are now serving £100 or £120 fixed penalty notices on estate agents who display For Sale...

23 January 2017

From: Breaking News

RICS to expel agent exposed in Channel 4 documentary

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is to expel an estate agent for breaking several of its membership rules.  Dion Beard,...

14 September 2016

From: Breaking News

Tenancy deposit protection schemes offer peace of mind

For many people buy-to-let continues to look an attractive income investment at a time of low saving rates and stock market...

26 August 2016

From: Features

Tightening up money laundering obligations is a really bad idea

Money laundering compliance is the hot topic at the moment, with various organisations making statements about the need to change and...

04 March 2016

From: Features

You read it here first – what to look for in 2016

There’s been plenty of forecasting in recent weeks - banks, consultancies and high-end estate agents have predicted house prices in the...

31 December 2015

From: Features

Customer Due Diligence for the Property Sector

“Estate Agents have been highlighted by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) as under reporting relative to their vulnerability to money...

03 December 2015

From: Sponsored Content

Agents' fees: CMA and TPO collaborate on new guidance to agents

The Property Ombudsman and the Competition and Markets Authority have prepared a supplementary guidance note to help agents ensure compliance with the Competition Act.  The...

14 October 2015

From: Breaking News

The interest rate warning bell has been rung

When Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, recently announced that interest rates would have to start to rise sooner...

24 July 2015

From: Features

Online agency scraps concept of seller tie-in

Online estate and letting agency EweMove says it is scrapping compulsory tie-ins.  “If any seller is not happy with our service, for...

29 June 2015

From: Breaking News

It's time for OTM to drop the exclusivity rule

Yesterday we heard about the letter from the CMA warning agents about anti-competitive behaviour. Today, in a scoop for Estate Agent...

04 June 2015

From: Features

MovePal MovePal MovePal