SLC Reiterates Support for Digital Signatures but Calls for Practical Reform of QES Implementation
The Society of Licensed Conveyancers (SLC) has reiterated its support for the use of digital signatures in property transactions while renewing its call for a review of the current HM Land Registry approach to Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES).
The SLC welcomed HM Land Registry’s decision to accept QES and supports the broader ambition of creating a fully digital and secure conveyancing process. However, the Society remains concerned that the current implementation framework does not adequately reflect the practical realities of conveyancing transactions.
In June 2025, the SLC publicly highlighted concerns that the requirement for all parties to execute the same electronic deed using QES created unnecessary operational barriers and would limit adoption across the market. SLC backs digital signatures, but calls for a re-think on TR1
Recent industry commentary and HM Land Registry’s acknowledgement that barriers to adoption remain suggest that these concerns remain valid. [todaysconv…ncer.co.uk]
While some commentators have attributed low adoption levels to resistance within the conveyancing profession, the SLC does not accept that characterisation.
Conveyancers are not opposed to digital innovation. The profession has successfully embraced numerous technological developments over the last decade, including digital identity verification, electronic onboarding, online case tracking and electronic submission of applications.
The issue is not whether QES is secure. The issue is whether the current framework aligns with the legal and evidential realities of property transactions.
Conveyancing involves more than the collection of signatures. Practitioners routinely deal with changing client instructions, disputed authority, questions around capacity, family pressures, ownership disputes and transactions that may become contentious long after completion. In such circumstances, conveyancers carry significant professional obligations and potential liability.
The Society believes that successful digital reform must be designed around the realities of legal practice rather than solely around technical workflow considerations.
The SLC therefore supports ongoing engagement with HM Land Registry to explore reforms that encourage adoption while maintaining legal certainty and consumer protection. Areas that merit further consideration include:
- Greater flexibility in execution requirements.
- Practical solutions for mixed-signature environments.
- Clear evidential protections for practitioners.
- Alignment between digital identity standards and execution requirements.
- Recognition of complex multi-party conveyancing scenarios.
Chairperson of the Society of Licensed Conveyancers, Simon Law, said:
“The Society remains fully supportive of digital transformation within conveyancing. Our concern has never been with Qualified Electronic Signatures themselves, but with how they operate in practice. Any solution must work not just in straightforward transactions, but in the complex and often unpredictable situations that conveyancers encounter every day.
Conveyancers are not resisting innovation. They are managing legal risk, protecting consumers and ensuring that transactions remain robust if later challenged. We look forward to working constructively with HM Land Registry and industry stakeholders to develop a framework that delivers both security and practicality.”
The Society will continue to engage with HM Land Registry and industry partners to support the development of digital execution processes that are secure, proportionate and capable of widespread adoption.
Kindly shared by The Society of Licensed Conveyancers
