SPECIAL FEATURE: MANAGING CLIENT COMMUNICATION: DO CONVEYANCERS NEED TO GO BACK TO BASICS? – Legal Bricks, part of Access Legal

SPECIAL FEATURE: Mike Connelly, Director of conveyancing software provider, Legal Bricks, part of Access Legal, has written an article on managing client communication.

Managing the legalities of a property transaction isn’t a straightforward process. There is no status quo and every transaction comes with its own unique complexities.

Be it for a first-time purchase or a client that’s been involved in multiple property transactions, buyers and sellers will inevitably rely on their conveyancer to make the process as quick, easy and painless as possible.

Although conveyancers are often criticised for property transaction delays or bear the brunt of buyers and sellers’ frustrations when things aren’t moving as fast as they would like, it could be down to a lack of communication between both the firm and the client rather than anyone being at fault.

According to research by property buying specialists, HBB Solutions, where they surveyed estate agents, 22 per cent cited issues with a buyer in a chain for transactions failing, while 17 per cent of estate agents felt that the falling through of a sale was at the fault of conveyancers.

This blame game proves that communication between all parties needs to change. A lot is talked about, quite rightly, about the importance of modernisation and the benefits technology can bring to conveyancing – but the real basics like good communication could have equal benefits for firms in terms of client satisfaction and increasing demand for services.

Lack of knowledge

It’s been noticed by others in the industry that a potential lack of knowledge of the conveyancing process itself could be at fault for transaction delays. If estate agents, buyers and sellers all understood more details of the process, then the pressures put on conveyancers could be reduced, and so resulting in a smoother transaction.

In fact, a 2020 survey from My Home Conveyancing looked into what buyers find the most confusing when buying a new home. The survey showed that 38 percent of buyers aren’t sure what solicitors and conveyancers actually do – which is a real concern for the market. It added that 27 percent don’t understand the purpose of different searches and surveys either. All these things should be covered by conveyancers when they are instructed.

Managing a client’s expectations from the outset is where a conveyancer’s priority should be, as well as clearly explaining what their role does and doesn’t cover. They can help by explaining what surveys a client might need, what searches are involved, how they work and what they are for, the typical steps involved in the entire process (whether it’s a sale or purchase) or what unexpected hurdles might crop up along the way.

A client can also get a conveyancer on board before they find a property. Doing this can speed up the buying or selling journey as firms can give guidance on fees, terms of business and provide information on paperwork that a client should expect to receive. Once a property offer has been accepted, this is when a conveyancing firm can leap into action. But the industry needs to educate buyers and sellers on the fact that they can find the right conveyancer before they’ve found the right property – it’s just another thing on a long list of what clients don’t know about the process.

With a large amount of money and legal agreements involved in a transaction of any kind, communication should be the top priority for all parties and it’s no surprise that buyers and sellers have a certain expectation, even if their knowledge of the process is limited. Property transactions continue to be high on the list of the biggest stressors people face in life, so communication is integral to managing anxieties and helping to keep emotions in a good place.

Conveyancers are typically in the middle of the process and the person that a buyer or seller will automatically turn to for information and reassurance, so it is down to them to stay on top of communication to build strong relationships and potentially head off client queries, worries or complaints.

The adoption of technology

Modernisation alongside good communication is a winning formula for firms – and the most successful conveyancers are already combining the two.

Yet, lack of technology adoption within the housing market has also proven to be an issue in property deals. Estate agents and surveyors have noticed where efficiency can be improved in their processes, however technology to support these systems hasn’t been adopted quickly enough by conveyancing firms.

Things such as the Stamp Duty holiday have led to property sales soaring over the last couple of years. As estate agents and mortgage lenders have managed their workload with the help of technology, many conveyancers still rely on physical documents and contracts to be signed in person over sending papers electronically, which can slow the process down greatly. If these firms had access to the legal tech that is available to them, the amount of work they are inundated with can be streamlined and more easily managed, helping to reduce delays and bottlenecks.

Research commissioned by the Landmark Estate Agency Services, showed that 77% of estate agents believe the process of buying and selling a home will be fully digital and online by 2025. This prediction only gives conveyancing firms a short time to adopt and be trained on new systems so they need to start the process now and find the right legal tech partner to support that transition if they rely on a paper-based operation or use outdated software.

Having access to technology solutions that can aid the conveyancing process, such as document production, biometric identification checks and case management systems, will not only help streamline the process but frees up conveyancers to focus on relationships with clients and deliver constant and clear communication.

Another way the property sector can streamline the conveyancing process is through the use of smartphones. Research from Statista shows there are over 63m smartphone users active in the UK and it feels like this is an essential piece of technology that conveyancers should be utilising. With the new generation being more tech-savvy, they expect services of all kinds to be quick and easy. Using smartphones portals and online chat services is a way the property sector can fulfil their needs.

Building stronger relationships with clients is going to increase demand for services and lead to better reviews and more referrals. Good communication coupled with the right legal tech, is key to meeting the needs of the modern client.