I gather the conveyancing process is to undergo another ‘shakeup’. It is an exciting and vibrant time, apparently, with more tech ‘startups’ entering the product market.

We have seen this sort of thing before, of course. IT and related developments may help certain elements of a chain, and in the main are to be welcomed. But the fact is many lawyers, myself included, already work with our feet on the ground, not only in real time but in the real world.

I fear these models will not help efficiency. Often, larger businesses using the latest IT in conveyancing have a tendency merely to say your email has been received and a reply will follow in 48 hours or so. Of course, the email is ‘important’ to them.

We need other players in the process to get better. For example, some valuers need to be quicker and some lenders need to improve the speed of mortgage offers and response times to matters referred to them. Some local authorities should return search results more quickly. And so on.

Rupert Morton-Curtis, Godwins Solicitors, Winchester

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