Paul Lyons, managing director at Lyons Bowe Solicitors, says the issue stems from professionals being overstretched.
The number of conveyancers in Britain fell 12.7pc between January 2021 and 2026, the IRN UK Residential Conveyancing Market Report found, dropping from 6,763 to 5,904. This is despite transactions rising during the same period.
“The consequence is fairly straightforward,” says Lyons. “More work is being concentrated among fewer firms and fewer specialist lawyers.”
He adds that while means of communication may have improved, the buying and selling process has become more complicated.
Conveyancers are forced to contend with leasehold issues and increasing red tape, not least new building safety rules, and because they “sit at the centre of the transaction, problems elsewhere in the system tend to land on their desk”.
