Conveybuddy said advisers are becoming less willing to accept opaque pricing structures, hidden additional fees and poor communication from conveyancing providers because consumers increasingly view the mortgage and legal process as one connected experience rather than separate services.
Harpal Singh, CEO of Conveybuddy, said: “When markets become less frenetic and activity starts stabilising – or indeed dropping – advisers naturally become more focused on the overall client experience because trust, retention and referrals become even more important.
“That is why transparency has become such a significant differentiator within conveyancing. Advisers are already expected to uphold extremely high standards around fairness and customer understanding across mortgages and protection, so it is entirely reasonable that they expect the same standards from the conveyancing firms and platforms they choose to work with.”
Softening market
Singh’s comments follow a recent survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which pointed to a flatter housing market during April, with buyer demand, agreed sales and new instructions all either softening or remaining subdued amid ongoing affordability pressures and economic uncertainty.
Aldermore Insights with Jon Cooper: Edition 9 – Why lending strategy is becoming more central in buy to let
Sponsored by Aldermore
The RICS surveys asked surveyors about their views of the future, with respondents expecting the current muted conditions to persist over the next three months. Looking ahead to 12 months’ time, sales expectations have edged into marginally negative territory, with sentiment weakening progressively over each of the prior three months.
Tomer Aboody, director of specialist lender MT Finance, said: “A combination of higher mortgage rates, lack of confidence in the government, global conflicts and the soaring cost of living are having a negative impact on the housing market, as both buyers and sellers alike think twice about making a move.
“The South East and London markets are feeling the brunt of this, due to the higher price point for buyers, with affordability even more of an issue.”
