Project status: Pre-consultation
The problem The law governing how we dispose of the bodies of our loved ones when they die is unfit for modern needs. While we often think of the choice as being between burial and cremation, new methods of disposal are being developed and used in other countries which are unregulated here. Further, the legislation … Read more >
Project status: Pre-consultation
Problem Chancel repair liability is an obligation on a landowner to pay for certain repairs to a local church. It has its origins in the feudal system and is rarely enforced, but when it is the liability can be huge. The intention of the Land Registration Act 2002 was that chancel repair liability should not … Read more >
Project status: Pre-project
The problem Britain’s museums are envied the world over, with a rich heritage informing each new generation of the past. But museums face significant problems dealing with objects where acquisition records are hard to come by and as a result it is impossible to know whether the item was gifted outright or loaned to the … Read more >
Project status: Pre-project
The problem A trust is a way of managing assets. Trusts are used widely by people and businesses. Trusts are a significant source of business for the UK and many international corporations and individuals use English law and courts to govern their arrangements. However, English trust law hasn’t been comprehensively reviewed since 1925. Meanwhile, places … Read more >
Project status: Complete
View the Government’s response View the full report. View the summary of the full report. View the Welsh summary of the full report. The problem Money laundering is the process where criminals hide the origins of their illegally gained money. Money laundering is estimated to cost every household in the UK £255 a year and … Read more >
Project status: Complete
View the full report. View the summary of the report. View a Welsh version of the summary of the report. The problem A search warrant is a written authorisation that allows an investigator to enter premises to search for material or individuals. Search warrants are usually issued by a court following an application by a … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download a summary of the report An overview of what the project is about and our key recommendations for law reform. Download the Core Report (Volume I) This version of the report aims to present our conclusions in a clear and straightforward way, using non-technical language. Download the Full Report (Volume II) This version of … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the full report on commonhold Download the summary of the report on commonhold Download our open letter to lenders on taking commonhold as security Other documents relating to the project are available from the drop-down menus at the bottom of this page. We also published our reports on leasehold enfranchisement (“Leasehold home ownership: buying … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the report here. Download a summary of the report here. Read the interim response from DCMS here. A Welsh translation of the report will be available soon. The problem The revolution in online communications has offered extraordinary new opportunities to communicate with one another and on an unprecedented scale. However, those opportunities also present … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Under the Law Commissions Act 1965 the Law Commission is required to submit Programmes of law reform to the Lord Chancellor. Since then, every three or four years the Commission has set out the areas it intends to work on for the next few years. In July 2016 the 13th Programme of Law Reform consultation … Read more >