Remote working is ‘slowing sales progression’

Remote working is contributing to transaction delays, a conveyancing veteran has warned.

Peter Ambrose, managing director of conveyancing specialists The Partnership, has warned that transaction times have slowed down and could get worse.

Speaking to the OnTheRecord podcast from OnTheMarket, Ambrose said there wasn’t just one reason for transactions taking longer but highlighted remote working by lawyers as an issue.

He said: “The overriding factor is that if it involves humans, then the process is getting slower.

“When people are working remotely it is difficult to communicate.

“We will call the other side’s lawyer to get hold of them and its common for them to say ‘sorry they are working remotely and we can’t contact them.’

“I see no change at all in way people are working so I don’t envisage that getting better.”

Ambrose said transaction times had improved in the middle of the year but have begun to slow down due to increased caseloads and a lack of staff.
 

He suggested during the podcast that better use of technology could help improve the conveyancing process but said agents must understand that there are different consequences if lawyers make a mistake.

Ambrose said: “We have to recognise the different responsibilities

“I often say to agents that If clients don’t like you they will throw rocks though your window, with conveyancing they will sue us

“The lawyer has everyone on their case, the client, broker, lender and insurer, there are more pressures not to mess up.

“It is like an exam where you have to get 100%.”

Ambrose said there will be lawyers typically running 100 cases at a time, which will be a lot more than an estate agent, adding: “It is not just the work but the accountability.”

He added that upfront information won’t be a “silver bullet” for property sales as the information still needs to be well understood and communicated.

You can listen to the podcast here.