Property professionals can now enjoy greater confidence and peace of mind in every transaction, thanks to OneSearch’s new partnership with 4Stamp: the definitive SDLT solution.

From today, OneSearch customers can manage and track their post-completion SDLT and LTT calculations directly within our platform, alongside local authority searches, environmental reports, and other essential conveyancing tools. This integration brings everything together in one place, saving time and reducing risk.

4Stamp is a cloud-based solution which allows all parties access to all the updates, data, and information required to provide a certified, accurate assessment of the purchasers’ property tax liability

“We have always been dedicated to setting the gold standard for accuracy and trust in the property market,” said Liz Jarvis, Managing Director of OneSearch. “Our partnership with 4Stamp is a natural extension of this promise. By integrating their certified, expert-backed solution into our platform, we are giving our clients end-to-end confidence, from the initial search all the way through to the final tax calculation.”

Richard Friend, Managing Director at 4Stamp Ltd added, “We are thrilled to partner with OneSearch, a company that shares our core values of data integrity and professional excellence. Their market-leading platform provides the perfect home for our service. Together, we are taking the mystery out of Stamp Duty Land Tax and empowering legal professionals to eliminate risk and streamline their workflow.”

Generic online calculators can be risky, often failing to account for all variables and exposing your firm to potential liability. In fact, 8% of customers overpay on their property tax, a statistic that highlights the need for a better solution.

4Stamp is not another calculator. It’s a comprehensive, certified assessment that considers the purchaser’s circumstances, the property, and the transaction vehicle. This is why it’s trusted by professionals.

By using 4Stamp via OneSearch, you will:

  • Eliminate Risk: Move beyond generic calculators and get a precise, certified tax assessment.
  • Gain Protection: Every calculation is backed by professional indemnity insurance, transferring liability away from your firm.
  • Save Time: Instantly get a certified value or immediate access to tax advisors for complex cases.
  • Ensure Compliance: Every assessment includes a certified PDF and a full audit trail for your records.

At OneSearch, we have always been about empowering legal professionals with speed, confidence, and protection. Now, we’re bringing that same promise to the final, critical step of every property transaction.

Ready to transform your conveyancing process? Learn more about the OneSearch and 4Stamp partnership and discover the value for yourself.

Clear drainage and water insights are foundational to confident conveyancing. Every minute spent interpreting a dense report is time lost elsewhere in a transaction.

To support faster, transparent advice, we have enhanced our OneSearch DW report for 2026. This report, a core element of conveyancing due diligence from OneSearch for the past 16 years, has undergone a thoughtful redesign to deliver a cleaner, more intuitive structure, making essential drainage and water insights effortless to absorb.

Catherine Noble Hyland, Senior Product Manager at OneSearch said: “The OneSearch DW refresh aims to help conveyancers work more efficiently with less distraction. Our improved summary page was designed to reduce mental load,  so our clients can move from data to client advice without missing a beat. We’ve very proud of the end result and client feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Achieving Clarity: What’s New in the Design

We recognise the pressure to interpret complex data quickly while maintaining faultless accuracy. Reports that are visually dense or difficult to scan can slow transactions to a crawl, and even introduce unnecessary risk. That problem is precisely why we initiated this refresh; to remove visual friction and ensure every critical insight is immediately accessible.

You’ll notice key enhancements immediately:

  • A new summary page, for ease of interpretation. This brings the most critical connection status information right to the forefront.
  • Clear, uniform design. Enjoy consistency and familiarity across your OneSearch reports.
  • Clickable hyperlinks between sections for faster navigation.
  • A modern, streamlined layout that reduces visual noise and clutter. We’ve taken this opportunity to smarten how information is presented, allowing the most important details to stand out naturally.

Why This Refresh Matters to Your Workflow

The new layout provides direct benefits to you and your team:

  • Faster Answers: The new summary page with clickable access to the specific page details allows you to scan for the connection status of the Mains Water, Foul Sewer, and Surface Water Sewer faster than ever.
  • Easier Client Communication: The refreshed clarity helps you confidently advise your client on liability for maintenance, public sewer connection, and proximity to the public sewer.
  • Reduced Cognitive Load: The improved structure reduces the time spent searching for details, allowing you to focus on high-value advice.

Your Confidence Remains Our Priority

While the report design has evolved, our commitment to risk mitigation is unchanged.

The OneSearch DW report remains backed by £10 Million Professional Indemnity Insurance, ensuring you are protected against search-related PI claims.

Our search continues to benefit from an insurance policy This foundational assurance, combined with the new aesthetic clarity, ensures the OneSearch DW remains the most dependable choice for your due diligence.

Same Trusted Data: Now Even Easier to Use

The data inside is still the industry standard you rely on, the OneSearch DW report has been a foundational element of conveyancing due diligence for 15 years.

This refresh introduces a new visual experience while maintaining that proven depth and reliability. The essential Drainage and Water Enquiries sections remain consistent. Think of it as the same essential due diligence, delivered with a refined and more user-friendly touch.

This is Just the Beginning

We view this refresh as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering clarity and excellence. We trust that the updated report meets your requirements and welcome any feedback you may have.

Experience the DW report on your next search, or in your bundle packs. View our product page, or contact our Service Introduction Team today for all the details.

Widespread “wait-and-see” approach to home-moving in Q4 2025 leaves market on pause.

Our Q4 2025 Property Trends Report indicates that speculation around the Autumn Budget slowed residential market activity in the final quarter of the year. In England and Wales, listings and completions dropped 7% and 6% year‑on‑year, while SSTC and search orders saw steeper falls of 17% and 19%. Mortgage valuations also slowed, though remortgaging remained steady.

Scotland performed comparatively well despite similar uncertainty. Listings dipped in October and November, recovering in December as demand resurfaced. Search activity remained muted, but SSTM volumes stabilised by year‑end. The nationwide picture suggests delays rather than loss of demand. Expectations of further rate cuts and continued price adjustments could help unlock more activity in 2026.

Other headline findings from Q4 2025 include:

  • Listings volumes were down 7% compared to Q4 ‘24 volumes.
  • In Scotland, listings were up 5% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
  • SSTC volumes were down 17% year-on-year in Q4 ‘25.
  • SSTM levels in Scotland were down 9% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.
  • Completion volumes in Q4 ’25 were down 6% compared to Q4 ‘24.
  • In Scotland, completions were down 3% in Q4 ‘25 vs Q4 ‘24.

Download the report for the latest trends affecting the residential sector in Q4 2025.

Conveyancing is evolving faster than ever. Our latest residential market research, Paving the way for smarter residential conveyancing in 2026, reveals how technology is transforming your day-to-day work, helping you deliver smarter, faster, and more certain transactions. 

Here’s a snapshot of what’s inside: 

  • 86% of conveyancers agree digitisation and automation have improved customer experience.
  • 78% now use AI to assist fee earners, double last year’s figure.
  • 73% believe earlier data insights provide greater certainty for buyers.

This market research report provides key insights to help you stay competitive, boost efficiency, and meet client needs. 

Download your copy today and discover how to leverage technology and collaboration for success in 2026. 

Japanese Knotweed has become something of a legend in UK property; part horticulture, part horror story. Its roots can disrupt paving and outbuildings, but the real power of knotweed is the fear it strikes in buyers, lenders and valuers.


And with recent changes to the TA6 Property Information Form and updated RICS guidance, this is one red flag every property professional needs to understand clearly.
Let’s get you up to speed in five minutes.

Why knotweed still matters

Knotweed spreads quickly through tiny fragments of rhizome – a piece the size of your little fingernail can create a whole new plant. While it rarely damages homes directly, it can affect outbuildings, hard landscaping, retaining walls and drainage.

More importantly: it affects lender confidence.

Most banks don’t want to finance a property where the risk hasn’t been assessed properly or managed professionally.

So yes – it’s a plant. But in conveyancing terms, it behaves more like a compliance issue.

The TA6 Trap (and what’s changed)

For years, sellers avoided giving a straight answer by ticking “Not Known” on the TA6, but that’s now over. The updated TA6 form now expects clearer disclosure around Japanese Knotweed – not speculation, but an honest statement based on what the seller reasonably knows.

Meaning:

  • “Not Known” is no longer the easy escape route.
  • A false declaration can expose sellers to misrepresentation claims.

If a seller has had knotweed in the past, had treatment, or knows of an infestation nearby, this is the moment it needs declaring.

The 7‑Metre Myth is gone

For years, we all lived by the “7‑metre rule” – if knotweed was within seven metres of a structure, lenders panicked. Then RICS rewrote the guidance. Now valuers are expected to look at:

  • The extent and location of the knotweed
  • Whether it’s managed or unmanaged
  • Whether it presents a material risk to the property
  • Whether it affects use, enjoyment or value

In short: the distance matters far less than the context.

Management is the new eradication

A decade ago, everything was about “total eradication.” The industry now recognises that knotweed can be managed effectively through long-term treatment plans. A good management plan usually includes:

  • A site survey
  • A multi‑year herbicide programme
  • A guarantee
  • Photographic records
  • Insurance backing

Lenders want to see commitment and structure, not wishful thinking.

So, what do buyers actually need to know?

  • Knotweed isn’t the catastrophe many tabloids painted it to be – if managed well.
  • Professional treatment stabilises value and unlocks lending.
  • Buyers shouldn’t panic, but they should insist on paperwork.
  • Indemnity insurance can help, but only if the seller hasn’t contacted neighbours or raised awareness prematurely (easy mistake, costly consequence).
  • Future liability sits with whoever owns the land now, not who planted it 20 years ago.

Handled early and transparently, knotweed becomes a manageable risk, not a deal‑breaker.

Japanese Knotweed is only a nightmare when it’s ignored. When it’s managed properly – with a clear plan, good documentation and open communication – most sales can progress smoothly.

Think of it as the conveyancing equivalent of seeing a warning light on a dashboard: Scary at first… but often an easy fix once you know what’s going on under the hood.