Three out of four home movers are satisfied with the service they received from the last conveyancing solicitor they used, while a similar number (74%) of those who bought their home within the last five years said they would use the same firm again, according to latest research.

The research among 2,000 UK adults, conducted by the HomeOwners Alliance, on behalf of National Conveyancing Week (NCW), found that there is also a lack of understanding and knowledge from some on conveyancing firms and the process they followed. Just two out of five UK adults (40%) are aware of what conveyancing is, while the number for those who are already homeowners is still only just over half (52%), despite the fact they would have used a conveyancer or conveyancing solicitor to secure ownership.

Forty-eight per cent were unaware the conveyancer acts on behalf of both them and the mortgage lender while 40%, wrongly think, the conveyancer checks the structure of the property is sound. Thirty-eight per cent said they want the conveyancing process to be faster, 31% want more frequent communication from their conveyancer, and 21% want a clearer explanation of the legal process and the issues that arose.

Homeowners also cited common delays they had experienced during the conveyancing process, including delays in the chain; legal issues such as a lack of paperwork/guarantees/certifications and permissions’ seller delays in coming back on enquiries; and mortgage/lender delays.

Paula Higgins, CEO of HomeOwners Alliance, said: “You can’t buy or sell a home without using a conveyancer and while it’s great to receive good news that the conveyancing service is improving for clients, more needs to be done to raise awareness of what conveyancers do. I’m particularly alarmed that 40% of people wrongly believe the conveyancer will check the structure of the building. This is the job of the surveyor, not the conveyancer.”

---