With the cost-of-living crisis putting pressure on communities across the UK, many will be considering where they can make savings in the near future. Although it is already known to be one of the most stressful experiences a person can undergo, moving house is set to become one area where keeping costs to a minimum will be a priority for many potential homebuyers.
One way in which people plan their spending for the future is by considering where they have made mistakes or overspent previously. This kind of thinking is evidenced clearly in a recent research report conducted by home moving software company Smoove, which found that 1 in 5 homebuyers would choose a different conveyancer. While the majority, 61%, were satisfied with their conveyancing experience, it still indicated that, on average, 20% of conveyancing clients are unhappy with the service provided.
Despite the stress involved, the cost-of-living crisis is, in fact, pushing many people to consider moving to help save on costs in the long run, with one-third of people interviewed in a recent Halifax survey thinking along these lines. This makes it all the more important to consider the areas in which savings can be made during the home moving process, as many are faced with no choice but to downsize or relocate.
What are the main reasons home buyers might seek an alternative conveyancer?
In breaking down the reasons for the 20% being unhappy with their conveyancer, the Smoove report found that the cost of the service was the number one concern for conveyancing clients, followed closely by the quality of the service and the length of time the process took to complete. This follows the general experience of firms such as Parachute Law who often find other conveyancers in the chain are needlessly slow to deliver, with long waits compounding the stress in an inherently trying process.
Cost
When it comes to cost, Ascot solicitors and those in other locations are often looking for ways to bring these down without compromising on the quality of the service. One of the primary ways this is being tackled across the industry is increased digitisation of all aspects of the home moving process, including conveyancing. Digital platforms for conducting legal work as well as sharing documents, signatures and information can reduce the overheads for conveyancing firms and enable them to pass this saving on to clients.
Time
When it comes to the length of the process, conveyancers often have no control over the time it takes to receive responses to searches or from both sellers and buyers in order to act upon the instructions given. This being said, the clarity of language as well as ease of access for communication with conveyancing firms can significantly help smooth the process. This is reflected in the Smoove report, which found speed and clarity the fourth and fifth most significant factors home buyers look for in conveyancers.
When looking for a conveyancer, confirming that they attend to the above areas can be one way to assess the likelihood they will be offering a cost-effective and time-efficient service. While many costs are unavoidable, there are still ways in which conveyancing firms can optimise the service they offer to clients to help during an already pressurised time.
