In a recent panel discussion at The Guild of Property Professionals’ conference, James Du Pavey, Managing Director of James Du Pavey Independent Estate Agents, highlighted the pressing challenges faced by estate agents in the UK, particularly concerning the time-consuming nature of property transactions.
Finding the right conveyancing partner is essential to control the length of time that an agent’s pipeline takes to turn.
“The foundation of a swift transaction lies in firstly working with the right conveyancing firm, and then ironing out the several potential ‘pinch points’ with your conveyancing partner to streamline the process,” he said.
Du Pavey suggested some useful pointers for all estate agents to consider.
Harnessing Modern Technology
“Client onboarding for a conveyancer can be more arduous than it is for agents. Finding a conveyancer that utilises the latest technology can hugely reduce the time taken to begin a transaction and can save weeks off the time frames. Modern conveyancing platforms like Perfect Portal and Infotrack offer transformative solutions. Clients can complete ID checks electronically, upload proof of funds via open banking and all protocol forms can be completed in App. This process can allow a purchaser or seller to do all that in a matter of minutes saving a week or more off a transaction,” says Du Pavey.
Immediate search ordering
A proactive conveyancing partner understands the significance of ordering searches immediately upon instruction, which again can considerably accelerate the purchase process. Not to mention modern firms should be able to issue contracts on the same day once onboarding is complete.
Efficient communication
Personalised communication is crucial. Du Pavey advocates for direct communication channels with the fee earner handling the case. He voiced his reservations against call centres and very admin-heavy teams.
Unified notification systems
“I find using lots of different platforms for different solicitors that you need to login into to find updates are often a pain. My preference is law firms that proactively email updates on key milestones automatically. This ensures that we are always informed, often even before the clients themselves,” says Du Pavey.
Managing workload
A successful partnership requires a conveyancing partner who knows their limits. Du Pavey advised against relying on conveyancers who take on an excessive workload, which can lead to delays. “Find a conveyancing partner that is prepared to say no! We have all experienced good conveyancers that become popular, get a huge case load and then timeframes delay dramatically. A successful partnership needs someone to have an appropriate case load.”
Du Pavey’s insights provide a roadmap for agents to navigate the complexities of the conveyancing process more efficiently. Adopting these tips could offer a competitive edge to agents, enabling smoother transactions – and happier clients.
In other news black cats are black
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Harnessing Modern Technology
You mean find a conveyancer who does client ‘onboarding’ in PARALLEL with getting on with the legal work, not doing it first and losing 2 weeks before the legal work can start. Agents don’t care about how a conveyancer does onboarding, just that it doesn’t delay cracking on.
Immediate search ordering
You mean a conveyancer who doesn’t wait for money on account, and so the second the seller sends them the right title plan(s) they submit searches.
Efficient communication / Unified notification systems
You mean a conveyancer who promises they do NOT fob clients and agents off to a website for tickbox updates BUT who actually tell you in detail where they are at, ideally always copying you into relevant emails.
Managing workload
Finding a conveyancer who doesn’t trade on low price and must therefore take on so many clients to keep the office lights on.
[Link removed as it breaches posting rules]
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
It is a criminal offence to work on a matter before AML checks are completed. Ordering searches ie creating an expense for a client is unjustifiable and likely to lead to a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, unless the matter is actually progressing.
There are simple solutions here:
1 don’t refer work, even for a referral fee, to a conveyancing factory that over relies on technology. The use of technology has been much discussed as being the cause of the rise in completion timescales because firms that over rely upon it use people who lack legal thinking capability and, despite how conveyancing is often referred to, it is a legal process that requires legal thinking that technology can’t replace.
2 why don’t the non conveyancer experts on conveyancing set up and run their own conveyancing businesses?
3 the sooner estate agents get it in their heads and business plans that the simplest, quickest, most efficient way to sell a property is to get it Purchase Ready on the day it is listed. Sellers should visit a conveyancer before the property is listed to ensure the property is Purchase Ready. This doesn’t involve lots of tech or algorithms or anything more complicated than getting the property Purchase Ready instead of List and Hope.
PS under the current system we are completing within 8 weeks of MoS being received.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
“It is a criminal offence to work on a matter before AML checks are completed.”
If this is true, how is it that so many firms (inc. big firms like PPL) don’t ask for source of funds until after they have reported to their client-buyer; when everyone was thinking they were about to exchange contracts?
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Why not start the onboard before you launch the property to market?
Why not start to prep the contract pack before you launch to market?
Why not make the contract pack so full, most enquiries are answered in it?
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register