National Conveyancing Month is an opportunity to focus not just on what’s challenging about residential conveyancing today (as explored in our previous blog), but on what can genuinely make life easier for conveyancers.
With rising complexity and increasing consumer expectations, this blog uses the latest data to identify where friction occurs in the transaction process and outlines the practical, ecosystem‑wide changes needed to reduce everyday pressure on conveyancers.
Start legal work earlier to make the rest of the transaction quieter
It’s talked about a great deal, but one of the most effective ways to reduce friction in the transaction process is still early instruction.
Landmark’s latest research shows that transaction timelines continue to expand, with the average purchase taking 123 days from instruction to completion in 2025, representing an 18% increase since 2019. This rise has occurred despite overall transaction volumes remaining low, which points to a structural issue rather than a cyclical one.
Where legal work begins earlier it mitigates any issues further down the process. Crucially, recent research found that consumer behaviour is no longer a barrier. Landmark’s latest cross market report shows that 89% of sellers would instruct a conveyancer before listing if it resulted in a faster sale, and 71% would pay their conveyancer upfront to enable better data sharing.
This data shows that consumer demand is shifting towards process improvements that would simplify transactions and reduce pressure for conveyancers.
Using upfront information to reduce unnecessary enquiries
There is a clear correlation between the increasing frequency of unnecessary enquiries arising later in the transaction process and the consequent extension of transaction timelines. In 2025, Landmark data found that the average time from enquiries raised to replies received remained 52 days, which double the time recorded in 2007 and unchanged year on year.
That stability tells its own story. Under the current process, efficiency gains have plateaued. To move the needle, the focus needs to shift from speeding up enquiries to preventing unnecessary enquiries altogether.
Upfront information is pivotal here. By assembling title documentation, identifying property risks and collating the essential paperwork at the outset, we see a marked reduction in both the sheer number and the complexity of enquiries. This means conveyancers can concentrate on what truly matters: addressing substantive issues, rather than getting bogged down in unnecessary back and forth caused by missing or delayed information.
Order tasks earlier and not just faster
One of the clearest insights from the research is that speed alone does not remove friction sequencing matters just as much.
Searches illustrate this well. According to Landmark data, average turnaround times fell to eight days in 2025, the fastest on record and the first-time single digit averages have been achieved. This shows that searches themselves are no longer a systemic bottleneck. The issue is when they are ordered. If searches are triggered late in the process, even an eight-day turnaround can still delay exchange. When they are ordered earlier, they rarely feature in progression conversations at all.
The same principle applies across the transaction. Many of the delay’s conveyancers are asked to manage are not caused by slow third parties, but by key tasks being initiated too late to run alongside other work. Bringing those tasks forward allows progress to happen in parallel, reducing pressure later in the process.
Let technology amplify better process, not compensate for late starts
There are positive changes and progression in how conveyancers use technology to improve their workflows. Landmark’s market research report, “Paving the way for smarter residential conveyancing in 2026” shows that 78% of legal firms now use AI to assist fee earners, which double the level seen in the previous year. Those firms report improvements in customer experience (86%), risk management (83%) and profitability (75%).
These statistics clearly shows that the industry is moving in the right direction with the usage of technology and AI. It is reducing manual review, supporting better triage and free experienced lawyers to focus on judgement-based work.
Furthermore, research also reinforces the point how technology delivers the greatest value when it supports a better flow of the transaction process. Digitising tasks late in the transaction may improve efficiency, but it does little to remove urgency and uncertainty. Addressing preparation earlier has a far greater impact on both.
A shared industry focus for National Conveyancing Month
National Conveyancing Month is a chance to focus on the practical changes that can genuinely make a difference. By starting work earlier, improving upfront information, sequencing tasks more intelligently and applying technology where it has the greatest impact, the whole industry has an opportunity to reduce avoidable friction. Initiatives like The Project 28 Charter show what’s possible when the whole sector aligns around shared commitments, not to work faster for its own sake, but to create a more predictable, sustainable transaction process that better supports those responsible for delivering it every day.
