THE PROPERTY FILTER TAKE
BLB Solicitors, a 40-lawyer, six-office firm, entered administration on 13 April 2026 after a planned sale fell through at short notice, leaving active clients mid-transaction
SA operators progressing acquisitions, lease assignments or title transfers with BLB face immediate delays and should consider instructing a replacement solicitor promptly rather than waiting for the firm to contact them
You may wish to audit any live transactions now - check which firm holds your file and whether it is financially stable before your next deal progresses
BLB Solicitors has entered administration (a formal insolvency process where an appointed administrator takes control of the business) after a planned sale of the firm collapsed at short notice. If you have a live acquisition or transfer progressing with any regional conveyancer, you may wish to verify the firm is still trading before your next milestone.
What happened with BLB Solicitors
The Trowbridge-based firm operated six offices across Bath, Bristol, Bradford-on-Avon, Swindon, Almondsbury and Trowbridge, employing more than 40 lawyers. According to Property Industry Eye, five directors left the company in a three-day window between 30 March and 1 April 2026. The London Gazette published formal insolvency notices on 13 April 2026. The firm ceased trading from midday on the day administrators were appointed.
In its letter to clients, BLB attributed the closure to "the anticipated sale of the business being withdrawn at short notice." Clients were told to instruct another solicitor immediately. The firm said it was assembling files for transfer and remained in talks with potential buyers - but could not guarantee continuity.
What this means for your next SA deal
SA operators are frequent users of conveyancing services - acquisitions, lease assignments, title transfers and remortgages all depend on a solicitor holding and progressing your file. When that firm goes under mid-transaction, the deal does not pause cleanly. Completion dates slip, mortgage offers can expire, and you may need to pay a new firm to repeat work already done.
You may wish to take three steps now. First, confirm which solicitor holds each of your live files and check their trading status. Second, if any firm looks financially uncertain, consider whether to move the file proactively rather than wait for a forced transfer. Third, when instructing a new conveyancer for future SA acquisitions, you may wish to ask directly about the firm's ownership structure and financial position.
For SA operators scaling a portfolio, building systems around acquisitions should include verifying your conveyancer is still trading before exchange. Free resources for SA operators cover acquisition due diligence in more detail, and the deal sourcing software can help you track opportunities before they reach the legal stage.
Key takeaways
- BLB Solicitors entered administration on 13 April 2026 following the collapse of a planned sale of the business - Any client with a live file was told to instruct a new solicitor immediately - consider acting promptly rather than waiting to be contacted - Before instructing any conveyancer, you may wish to check their Companies House filing status and ask about ownership stability
BLB Solicitors has entered administration (a formal insolvency process where an appointed administrator takes control of the business) after a planned sale of the firm collapsed at short notice. If you have a live acquisition or transfer progressing with any regional conveyancer, you may wish to verify the firm is still trading before your next milestone.
What happened with BLB Solicitors
The Trowbridge-based firm operated six offices across Bath, Bristol, Bradford-on-Avon, Swindon, Almondsbury and Trowbridge, employing more than 40 lawyers. According to Property Industry Eye, five directors left the company in a three-day window between 30 March and 1 April 2026. The London Gazette published formal insolvency notices on 13 April 2026. The firm ceased trading from midday on the day administrators were appointed.
In its letter to clients, BLB attributed the closure to "the anticipated sale of the business being withdrawn at short notice." Clients were told to instruct another solicitor immediately. The firm said it was assembling files for transfer and remained in talks with potential buyers - but could not guarantee continuity.
What this means for your next SA deal
SA operators are frequent users of conveyancing services - acquisitions, lease assignments, title transfers and remortgages all depend on a solicitor holding and progressing your file. When that firm goes under mid-transaction, the deal does not pause cleanly. Completion dates slip, mortgage offers can expire, and you may need to pay a new firm to repeat work already done.
You may wish to take three steps now. First, confirm which solicitor holds each of your live files and check their trading status. Second, if any firm looks financially uncertain, consider whether to move the file proactively rather than wait for a forced transfer. Third, when instructing a new conveyancer for future SA acquisitions, you may wish to ask directly about the firm's ownership structure and financial position.
For SA operators scaling a portfolio, building systems around acquisitions should include verifying your conveyancer is still trading before exchange. Free resources for SA operators cover acquisition due diligence in more detail, and the deal sourcing software can help you track opportunities before they reach the legal stage.
Key takeaways
- BLB Solicitors entered administration on 13 April 2026 following the collapse of a planned sale of the business - Any client with a live file was told to instruct a new solicitor immediately - consider acting promptly rather than waiting to be contacted - Before instructing any conveyancer, you may wish to check their Companies House filing status and ask about ownership stability
