Is this The Death of Traditional Conveyancing as we Know it?

Sep 26, 2012 by OutwaterBrodnax300

So the excitement begins you have either made an offer on a property or someone has made an offer on your property. So the next step is to find and instruct your conveyancer. In the Home Moving Trends survey 2010, 93% of home movers start their search online. However, from past experience as a client, I have always opted for the conveyancing solicitor who has dealt with my family property sales and purchase.

From my recent family’s experience, in selling a property with vacant possession and the buyer already having the funds in place for the purchase. From this experience the traditional way of conveyancing would appear not to have been the speediest and stress free way to complete this transaction. Even though having completed the fixture and fittings and property information forms well in advance.

There were many other reasons why the traditional route did not suit our needs in this particular transaction, including; having to visit the solicitor offices, sending email correspondence and telephone calls to establish the progress. The traditional conveyancing route appeared very time consuming in regards to sending out documents, and answering our queries and questions, with some of these already dealt with previously via completed Sellers Property Information Form.

Many clients need a conveyancer or conveyancing firm that are more proactive, accessible and efficient in the process, and communicating openly with their client on the conveyancing transaction at every stage. These qualities can now be found in e-conveyancing, which I personally did not know about until recently and my family would have certainly considered this approach if known earlier.

With the increase use of Information Technology and mobile communication media, this has allowed e-conveyancing to fit in with people’s lifestyle. E-Conveyancing has many advantages with value for money and online file tracking facilities for clients. These tracking facilities would have been ideal with my family’s’ experience as we would have liked to check the file and the transaction process. Also, allowing better communication with our conveyancing solicitor, particularly relating to the additional queries by the buyers solicitor, and late information regarding the discovery of a “strip lease”.

We also found with the traditional route, the process resulted in a delay in receiving information or instructions, and particularly when any further clarification on a matter was required.

Another advantage of e-conveyancing is the extended opening hours and the opportunity to access your file or account 24 hours a day 7 days a week. As mentioned previously, clients’ lifestyles are not always 9-5. Some traditional conveyancing solicitors’ firms are open 9-5, and sometimes close for lunch, that is when clients are available to go to the firms’ office or wish to communicate with their conveyancer. I have become aware, that some conveyancing practices are now opening at a weekend, for example 10 am to 2pm, to keep up with the competition with e-conveyancing sector. Also recently ‘Quality Solicitors’ have a joint venture and joined in partnership with WH Smith retail to have legal access points within stores, this makes solicitors more accessible.

Overall traditional methods of conveyancing still hold a place in many hearts. However, times are changing, and so are lifestyles, therefore conveyancing firms and solicitors’ need to meet clients’ needs. This is why e-conveyancing is now starting to shine though. Arc Property Solicitors and Thomas Legal Group are some of the many firms proving that e-conveyancing are meeting the clients needs.

In the future I will recommend e-conveyancing to many people and will use it myself when I next move.

Learn more on conveyancers at http://www.arcpropertysolicitors.com.