Conveyancing is the most stressful part of the home-moving process, according to half of the home movers surveyed by software provider Smoove.
The research, which surveyed 1001 home buyers over 25 who had moved within the last six to 12 months, found that 49% of those questioned believed liaising with conveyancers was the most difficult part of the transaction process.
The responses were the same for both first-time buyers and home movers, with the stress caused by a perceived lack of transparency rather than a lack of experience: less than a third of respondents said they felt fully informed throughout the process, and almost a quarter said they struggled to understand it at all.
A significant majority of respondents (89%) said they wanted direct contact with their solicitor during the homebuying process, either by text or email. However, two thirds (69%) also said they would be more likely to choose a conveyancer who offered a digital and paperless service. Less than half wanted AI to help with ID and fraud checks (43%) or provide case updates (43%).
The research was supplemented by Smoove’s internal data for the period January 2022 to December 2024, which showed that an increase in the number of instructions (up 32% in 2024 compared to 2023) means conveyancers are ‘under considerable pressure’ as demands on their time increase and has an impact on their availability to spend time with clients.
Matt Joy, chief growth officer at Smoove, added:
“Additionally, the process’s complexity and fragmentation can be challenging for consumers to grasp, creating a perceived communication gap.
“A combination of human intervention, industry expertise and digital tools can help in addressing the communication pain points for all stakeholders, providing clarity without requiring disproportionate time from conveyancers. Getting this right will address both the cost and time concerns simultaneously, while freeing up conveyancers to dedicate their time to the parts of cases that require their expertise.
“Not only is this vital in helping them manage capacity, but it will also enable them to focus on complicated transactions where they can really make a difference, bringing back some essential job satisfaction to the profession.”
One Response
Funny how these surveys seem to come out proving what the people carrying them out want them to. But we do not know the context, how many people were asked, what were the questions and who were their Solicitors. Meaningless without full disclosure.
The person quoted here previously worked for the best Estate Agent in Reading then moved to a conveyancing Solicitors in the town. So he knows better than most that working with competent, experienced conveyancers is the real answer to the problems within conveyancing, rather than the technology he is trying to sell.
Fake news, nothing to see here.