On Monday 9th June, conveyancers saw the welcome launch of new ID1 and ID2 forms from Land Registry, with the introduction of a new Section C allowing firms to confirm that digital identity verification (D-ID) has been used in accordance with Practice Guide 81.
This aligns with simultaneous updates to its Practice Guide 67 and 81, strengthening the framework for digital ID use. It’s a practical move forward, and one that is welcome. But as is so often the case, the regulatory and operational environment remains fragmented, and unless the Lenders’ Handbook follows suit, we are at risk of talking digital while still have to deal in the analogue.
Conveyancers are being asked to modernise, adopt digital tools, and improve security, efficiency, and consumer outcomes. Yet when acting for lenders, they are still expected to interpret Part 2 Handbook responses that at best omit mention of D-ID and at worst actively restrict it.
The list of accepted documents in most lender responses continues to reflect pre-digital expectations, leaving conveyancers in a bind: either duplicate identity verification work using traditional means, or risk non-compliance with lender requirements.
There is hope, however. UK Finance is currently working to digitise the Lenders’ Handbook with the intention of launching a new digital version in October. This provides a golden opportunity to fix the disconnect and include a new field allowing lenders to confirm acceptance of digital ID methods.
It’s something the Conveyancing Association has long advocated for, and something we know UK Finance is keen to see embraced. The evidence for doing so is overwhelming. In jurisdictions like Norway, the adoption of digital identity processes led to a 1000% reduction in fraud.
In England and Wales, it could eliminate the cost and delay associated with duplicative ID checks, help tackle impersonation fraud, and provide consumers with a faster, more secure transaction.
Beyond digital ID, this shift could also act as a gateway to broader adoption of digital trust services. Land Registry is currently piloting the use of Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES), and we are seeing more suppliers stepping forward to become Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSPs).
These providers meet the security and reliability requirements laid down in the EU eIDAS regulation and UK equivalent frameworks. QES is legally admissible, cryptographically secure, and an ideal fit for the digital future of conveyancing. It’s time we moved beyond wet signatures and PDFs and allowed QES to become the norm.
The foundation for this exists not just in these pilots, but in the wider strategic thinking that has already taken place. The CA’s own Digital Conveyancing Protocol maps out the end-to-end transaction through a digital lens. It outlines the steps, tools, and best practice guidance needed to give consumers and professionals confidence in the process. If we pair this with a Lenders’ Handbook that recognises and supports the same tools, then we start to build a system that is interoperable, efficient, and trusted.
And trust is the critical word here. What conveyancers really need is not just the ability to verify identity but to verify the data underpinning the transaction. That’s why we also believe now is the time to bring Digital Property Logbooks into the discussion.
These logbooks provide a secure, persistent record of property information, connected to the Property Data Trust Framework. This enables property data to be authenticated, updated, and shared between stakeholders with confidence. Conveyancers could confirm Material Information at the point of marketing, ensure it’s up to date, and identify any changes from one transaction to the next. Where searches are out of date, they can be refreshed automatically. Where data is missing, it can be flagged and chased.
Ultimately, this is about shifting from a document-led process to a data-led one. The new forms are a step in the right direction, but unless lenders move with us, we risk losing momentum. Now is the time for the Lenders’ Handbook to embrace the future, not hold it back.
The digital tools are here. The regulatory support is growing. And the evidence is clear: digital means safer, faster, and more trusted transactions for everyone.
Beth Rudolf is Director of Delivery at the Conveyancing Association (CA)
