Conveyancing is a key component of the UK property market, yet it’s often overlooked. Once a cornerstone of legal work, its role has morphed over decades, with increasing responsibility laid at the conveyancers’ door. Add to that, today, fewer professionals remain, frequently managing stress and unremitting downwards pressure on fees.
In the 1960s, conveyancing was a solicitor-dominated field, accounting for nearly half of legal income. The Law Society estimated there were up to 30,000 solicitors in England and Wales in the 1980s. It was a big deal.
By 2005, there were around 7,800 firms undertaking conveyancing transactions. That had already fallen further to 5,450 by 2015. The trend continues- In January 2025, there were 3,550 conveyancers registered as account holders with HM Land Registry.
There’s a consolidation story here, certainly. But there’s no question headcount is down, too. Pressure and the stress of the role are blamed for the shrinking workforce, exacerbated by various stamp duty initiatives in recent years, creating significant unseasonal spikes and troughs.
And I contend that there is more to the story than that.
The truth is that conveyancers are overlooked and undervalued by the market. Conveyancing is the property industry’s equivalent of the Cinderella service – mistreated and underappreciated despite its inherent worth. Being required to pivot to the needs of more prominent or prioritised parts of the housing market, conveyancing is neglected, overshadowed, and underfunded – despite its critical importance to every property transaction. It is struggling with insufficient resources, recognition, and investment. The last ten years have been a narrative of neglect, though not from the industry itself.
That’s not to say there isn’t the occasional bright spot. Movera Group, for example, has pioneered automated remortgage processes through their Decision and Automated Remortgaging Technology (DART), cutting completion times significantly—by 18 days in 2023 alone. Their partnership with the Land Registry, one of only four firms in a pilot programme, has helped digitise application submissions, boosting efficiency. And ONP Solicitors have channelled their efforts into the areas they can control, automating admin tasks, to free up conveyancers’ time so they can focus on complex legal work, client communication, and case management.
But, overall, I’d say conveyancers need more support – ideally in the form of ‘a fairy godmother’. Afterall, every Cinderella deserves her night at the ball, a moment where the unglamourous but essential work pays off and the spotlight finally shines. For conveyancers, that ball isn’t just about applause—it’s about turning undervalued toil into something more rewarding and sustainable. The decline of this vital profession won’t be reversed by fairy dust alone; the real magic lies in giving them a larger slice of the property deal pie, a chance to step out of the shadows and into a role that reflects their worth and one where they are actively engaged with fellow stakeholders to evolve the process.
The fact of the matter is that conveyancers need to be better remunerated. They’re typically collecting hundreds of pounds per transaction – often even less on remortgage cases – compared to mortgage brokers and estate agents, who are generally collecting thousands from every deal concluded. Without the cash, there’s less incentive to put up with the pressures and the stress mentioned earlier – and limited ability in invest in innovation such as AI, which could be a great boon to the industry.
One route to market not often discussed is the relationship between surveying and conveyancing. Over the course of the last seven years, we have completed 40,000 surveys on properties with a combined value of more than £12 billion across England and Wales; and saved homebuyers thousands of pounds identifying potential issues mortgage valuation surveys and searches simply won’t spot. And yes, through closer interaction between surveyors and conveyancers, mediated by smart tech of the kind we are developing, , there is a revenue opportunity.
As midnight looms in the UK property market, conveyancers still huddle by the hearth in the kitchen, awaiting their carriage to the ball. But the clock hasn’t struck yet. There’s still time to rewrite the story — and bring them the profession’s metaphorical carriage and glass slippers. Imagine a future where the unsung heroes of the property market stride into the ball, rags shed, and heads held high. Let’s not wait for a fairy godmother; the real magic is in our hands.
Richard Sexton is the commercial director of proptech surveyor HouzeCheck
