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Ignoring the licence fee, if the transaction fee was say £15-£20 on the low costs for conveyancing that will have a big effect if it cannot be charged back to the client, but I doubt most clients will see the need for it when can just call or email for the same information without the extra fee.

I can imagine the calls now from clients checking every few minutes then seeing that it tells them the other side has raised enquiries for them to immediately phone to find out what they are as I haven't call them the second it has happened.

If there is a choice over the portal then at least, once it is up and running and firms have had a chance to look at and assess it, we can decide whether it is worth it to sign up to it. The big fear I have is that to support the cashflow it will be made mandatory for CQS firms.

As much as they can annoy, one of the biggest conveyancing firms you find in transactions is Countrywide and with the number of estate agents referring to them it is common for them to appear in a chain. Given the money they spent on their own platform I cannot see (although may be mistaken) then signing up to pay money for a similar system to what they already use even if it then includes the other side. If the purpose is to make a whole chain open so all can check on progress then if they are not signed up the whole premise is flawed.