A recent case at the High Court in Glasgow considered property fraud on an extraordinary scale. Perhaps most striking about the case was that it was the longest criminal trial in UK legal history, lasting over 320 days.

2016 was certainly a year of Changes, to quote singer/songwriter David Bowie, whose death in January was for many a portent of the tumultuous year ahead in the political and economic spheres. The three per cent rise in stamp duty on second homes and buy-to-let purchases was greeted with some dismay, particularly as the government's initial consultation had suggested that there could be an exemption for investors buying 15 or more properties.

The country's housing shortage topped Chancellor Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement in November, who promised to deliver a housing market that works for everyone.

The post-Brexit property market is proving to be unpredictable with all involved taking precautionary steps to guard themselves against any potential longer-term fallout. Following three years of growth the housing market had already been slowing in the months leading up to the referendum. The result certainly did not improve its fortunes. Perhaps unsurprisingly in the aftermath of the referendum result, the FT reported that homebuyers were now ?assessing the potential impact of the vote on house prices?.

In accordance with the 1997 Kyoto Protocol industrialised nations pledged to cut their yearly carbon emissions as measured in six greenhouse gases by an average of 5.2% by 2012 as compared to 1990. This equated to a 29% cut in the values that would have otherwise occurred.