The complete guide to online conveyancing

In today's digital world, online conveyancing is revolutionizing how property transactions are handled. This modern approach to the legal transfer of property ownership offers significant advantages over traditional methods. It can save you time, money, and stress during what can often be a complex process.

While many still believe that property transactions require the traditional approach of in-person meetings and paper-heavy processes, the reality is that digital conveyancing services now provide a more efficient alternative. These secure, transparent systems maintain all the legal protections you need while eliminating many of the frustrations associated with conventional methods.

By choosing an online conveyancing solicitor, you gain access to a streamlined process with real-time updates, faster completion times, and often lower costs. Whether you're buying your first home, selling a property, or remortgaging, understanding how virtual conveyancing works can help you make informed decisions about your property transaction.

In many respects, there is very little difference in the purpose and overall process of conveyancing, whether you have opted for the traditional route or decided to carry it out online: conveyancing is the process that oversees the legal transfer of ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer.

The differences between online and traditional conveyancing will come in the approach to achieving that goal.

The process with an online conveyancer follows the same sequence of events and milestones; they are simply handled differently with greater visibility for you throughout.

While the fundamental steps in conveyancing remain the same regardless of whether you choose a traditional or online approach, the digital method transforms how each stage is conducted. For a detailed breakdown of the complete conveyancing process, please visit our comprehensive conveyancing process guide.

Here's how the online conveyancing process enhances each key phase:

Initial instruction and quote

With online conveyancing services, you can obtain an instant quote by entering your details into a secure form, rather than waiting for a callback or visiting an office. 

Homeward Legal provides transparent, no-obligation quotes with a No Completion, No Fee protection, meaning you only pay the quoted fee upon successful completion.

Identity verification and documentation

Traditional conveyancing requires in-person meetings or posting original documents. With digital conveyancing, verification happens electronically through secure online portals, saving significant time and eliminating postal delays and risks of document loss.

Instead of requiring in-person visits, your solicitor will request copies of your identification documents and verify them through secure online databases.

You'll need to provide key information including your passport number, National Insurance number, full legal name, and current residential address (which should match where you're registered on the electoral roll). The digital verification system cross-references this information with official records to confirm your identity.

Property information and searches

Your online conveyancing solicitor conducts searches electronically, dramatically reducing the waiting time compared to traditional paper-based applications. 

You can submit all required forms (such as the TA6 and TA10) through secure digital channels, with systems that help prevent common completion errors.

Email communication for property searches allows instant document transmission, creates a clear audit trail, and enables quick clarification of questions.

Contract preparation and exchange

Contract drafting, review, and exchange happen through secure digital property transfer systems rather than via postal services. 

This significantly reduces the time between drafting and exchange, with all communications logged in a centralised system for complete transparency.

Completion and post-completion

The final stages benefit from streamlined electronic fund transfers and digital submission of stamp duty payments and Land Registry updates. Your online conveyancer can complete these tasks more efficiently without the delays associated with paper processes.

Online SDLT submissions are not only faster but typically cost less than paper applications. Similarly, electronic Land Registry updates offer reduced fees compared to postal submissions, providing additional cost savings.

Throughout the entire journey, you'll have access to a secure online portal that shows exactly where your transaction stands, what's been completed, and what remains outstanding for a level of visibility simply not possible with traditional conveyancing.

The whole process of carrying out the digital property transfer online affords a number of benefits over the traditional approach.

With the benefits of streamlining processes, and storing documentation on-line comes a swifter conveyancing process because of the transparency of the procedures, a reduction in the risk of errors being made, and a faster turnaround.

For example, traditional conveyancing solicitors might rely on the standard postal system for the submission of letters and important documents and forms, which inherently has a delay that is overcome with time-efficient online case management systems that use secure client portals with advanced encryption and multi-factor authentication.

Modern online conveyancing platforms utilise technologies like electronic signature systems and automated document processing that traditional conveyancers typically don't have access to. These tools dramatically speed up the information-gathering process while maintaining the highest security standards.

The other major consideration is that you, the customer for the conveyancing services, will not be required to take time in travelling for face-to-face meetings, since you can control your transaction from the comfort of your home or office, which not only cuts down on the time it takes to achieve certain tasks, but also helps to make them cheaper and more cost-effective.

For an online conveyancing firm, all of the information and documents are kept securely online on their case management system, which means that you can see progress and what is outstanding at any time. For a traditional conveyancing firm, this might have a delay incurred, particularly if you have to wait for an update by post or to set up a face-to-face meeting or telephone call.

Error reduction

Because everything is carried out online and managed electronically, there is far less likelihood of errors and problems creeping in, and it certainly protects you as the customer from delays created by potential loss or mislaying of key information.

Centralised documentation

All the documentation covering every aspect of your property transaction online is kept in one place, centrally available to all those involved in the conveyancing transaction. This means that documents will not be lost in transit and are available for perusal and review at any time.

Increased transparency

Because you can track the progress of your transaction on-line, you can get the information immediately, rather than await a response from someone, who might be out of the office or otherwise unavailable, who is not necessarily focused on your transaction.

Knowing what is going on at each stage and having access to clear information as to why delays might be occurring gives you the customer that extra reassurance that your conveyancer has complete focus on your transaction, which helps to remove some of the stress from a very stressful time.

Greater convenience

One of the key benefits of online conveyancing services comes with the ability you are afforded to trace what is happening to your transaction from your home, office or anywhere else and at any time that is best suited for your needs.

Reduced overheads

With everything being online and driven at a pace set by you, the traditional set up of office space and physical filing mechanisms is removed and ensures that the online conveyancing firm has reduced overheads.

The reduction in the cost of running the conveyancing process will mean that it is cheaper than a traditional set-up.

Shortened transaction times

Since everything is online, including written communication and the handling of the various documents, the traditional delays awaiting receipt of snail-mail post or face-to-face meetings is significantly reduced, thereby shortening the overall timescale of the e-conveyancing process.

Increased cost-effectiveness

Since the whole procedure of moving home is an expensive business, cutting out the wasted time and effort means that costs are pared down to the minimum, while maintaining a focus on delivery of a quality service.

Security considerations

As with anything that is done online, there are the usual risks of hackers and other nefarious individuals trying to get hold of your personal information. Such cyber-attacks are fairly rare but that shouldn't mean you become less wary.

For your part, you should adopt the standard protocols of never sharing your login information and passwords, changing the latter on a regular basis, and avoiding the use of public Wi-Fi hotspots for such transactions, since they are necessarily far less secure.

Your secure online conveyancing service will have strict security protocols to protect their platforms to mitigate the risk of cyber-attack and fraud perpetrated against their systems, with regular audits and reviews to beef up the security system and protocols where appropriate.

System reliability

There is also the risk of systems going offline and the loss of data; however, your online conveyancing firm will have stringent protocols for managing your data and documentation, with suitable and regular back-ups taken, usually with copies stored in a back-up facility too to give you the maximum protection.

Communication preferences

From a personal standpoint, some people may find the lack of being able to talk in face-to-face meetings somewhat impersonal and, as a result, might think that they prefer the more traditional approach to conveyancing. However, how you communicate with your appointed conveyancer is entirely up to you. If you prefer to talk to your conveyancer rather than leaving it solely to emails and attachments, that is perfectly within your rights.

When you have chosen your virtual conveyancing solicitor, like Homeward Legal, you can discuss the best approach to communication you'd like to adopt, such as video-conferencing, telephone calls, or, in some cases, even face to face. What works best for you is how Homeward Legal would like to work with you.

Whether you are going for a standard sale and/or purchase, or you want to transfer some equity or remortgage the property, then the online approach to conveyancing is a good choice.

Dependent on the type of transaction and the complexities of it (for example, buying or selling through auction, buying a commonhold or leasehold property, etc.), the amount of time it'll take to get to completion will vary, but this is something you can discuss in more detail with your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the point of getting your quote.

Online conveyancing can be a perfect fit for all types of conveyancing, whether its residential or commercial, through a standard estate agent set-up or via an auction house or private sale - all you have to do is fill in the details to get your quote and then take the next step to line up your conveyancing solicitor, who will work hard to complete your transaction as quickly as possible while provide a quality service in a cost-effective way.

Have you got plans for a sale or purchase of a property? Perhaps you want to look into remortgaging your current property, or you want to purchase a property to add to a buy-to-let portfolio?

Whatever your plans, you'll want a focused and experienced conveyancing solicitor to work on the legal aspects.

Look no further than Homeward Legal.

The experts at Homeward Legal will talk you through each stage of the process so that you know what is happening at any point and why and what your role is. They are well-versed in all aspects of the conveyancing process, providing a quality conveyancing service at a fee that is great value for money!

Call  to get your conveyancing quote started, or to discuss your concerns with your plans to purchase or sell your next home.