Survey reveals frustration among buyers in the UK over conveyancing

Over half of home owners in the UK are frustrated by a lack of control during the house buying process although they are generally happy with the information they receive, new research has fond.

Some 55% who took part in the study which compares the attitudes, perceptions, and expectations towards the conveyancing process, expressed some degree of unhappiness, according to the survey from software provider InfoTrack.

Some 44% of buyers said they did not receive enough communication during the process but 67% of conveyancers said they keep consumers fully informed throughout the home moving process.

The research shows that overall those moving home are indeed happy with the core conveyancing service, with 86% agreeing that their conveyancer did at least what they expected them to do. However, according to the data, there is a significant opportunity to invest in digital communication options to close this perception gap.

For example, some 47% said that they would like regular digital communications from their conveyancers, with online portals, IM and text increasing in popularity amongst this group. Some 36% also stated they would like the ability to track progress of searches and their property purchases.

‘While home movers are broadly happy with the core conveyancing service, our research points to increasing expectations around customer experience,’ said Scott Bozinis, chief executive officer of InfoTrack.

‘In a world where you can control your entire home from a smartphone, there is a need for conveyancers to use digital technologies to reshape how they work and how they engage with clients. This isn’t about changing the process, but about meeting the expectations of today’s mover and reaping the rewards of increased satisfaction,’ he added.

In a sign that the industry is starting to react to mover demand, the use of digital communication methods in the conveyancing market has jumped significantly. Home movers that have experienced IM and text use from their conveyancers has risen from 6% to 11%, while online portal use has climbed from 4% to 15% over the last three years.