Many conveyancers’ work protocols outdated, says study

Seven in ten conveyancers still share property transaction documents by email, while 65% track deadlines manually or in spreadsheets, a survey claims. 

InfoTrack’s 2026 Digital Conveyancing Maturity Index (DCMI) says the findings highlight the changes needed to support the government’s home-buying reforms.

The government’s reform roadmap includes plans for upfront sales packs containing key property information, digital property records and – once sales packs are established – contracts that secure buyers’ and sellers’ commitment earlier in the process.

Although 89% of respondents use digital identity checks, LawtechUK – the Ministry of Justice-backed initiative supporting digital transformation in the legal sector – says progress in individual tasks has not been matched throughout the transaction. 

Using digital tools for individual tasks does not necessarily mean other professionals involved in the sale can accept and reuse the information they produce.

The DCMI shows progress in digital checks at the start of a transaction. 

Among respondents, use of digital identity verification rose from 76% in 2024 to 89% in 2026, while use of digital source-of-funds tools increased from 57% to 74% and 88% use a case management system. 

Yet 70% still share pre-completion documents by email, 65% manage deadlines manually or in spreadsheets, and half manage enquiries through post or email. 

Only 15% use a shared workspace linking both sides of a transaction.

A LawtechUK spokesperson says: “Conveyancers need to accelerate their preparations for the government’s home-buying reforms. Those reforms depend on trusted information being available earlier and moving reliably between the parties to a transaction. 

“Despite digital identity checks being widespread, much of the work that follows still relies on separate systems and manual tracking.

“Firms should now be reviewing how they exchange information with others involved in a sale and where their processes need to change.” 

The tech company says the findings also raise questions about how firms give buyers and sellers a clear view of progress, including what remains outstanding and who needs to act next. 

Separate YouGov research found that 25% of homebuyers regularly had to chase their solicitor or conveyancer for updates, while 21% did not understand what was causing delays. 

One in five said they would seek a conveyancer offering real-time updates if they bought again.

Work by the Lancaster University-led Technology Innovation and Productivity in Professional Services project has identified barriers including difficulty defining the problem technology should solve, assessing whether products suit firms’ workloads and involving staff who will use them. 

A university project spokesperson adds: “What we’ve learnt is that successful adoption rarely starts with jumping straight to the latest technology. Firms need to be clear about the problem they are trying to solve and build their capabilities from there. 

“The firms making the most progress are those that make technology part of everyday working practices, rather than treating it as a standalone innovation project.”

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