As of January 2026, there were 10,724 conveyancers, down by over 2,000 versus 2021.
There were an estimated 5,904 law firms that these conveyancers were stretched across.
Access Legal said: “Solicitors are feeling the strain, juggling high workloads and battling longer completion times, which inevitably leads to bottlenecks and risks of burnout in the industry.”
The average completion time has reached 123 days for property exchanges.
The report argued demand is recovering while industry capacity is shrinking.
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Access Legal’s report attributed this to regulatory and compliance developments, including anti-money laundering (AML) rules, revised MLR guidelines and mandatory property form changes.
Its research cited Legal Ombudsman data showing evidence of poor service in 78% of residential conveyancing complaints assessed, representing 511 complaints.
Despite 1.8 million fixed rate mortgages maturing by the end of 2026, the report said the overwhelming preference for product transfers has limited the conveyancing benefits of the refinancing wave.
The report highlighted equity release instructions are growing as a proportion of total conveyancing activity. Equity Release was described as a growing ancillary revenue stream amid an ageing population and rising housing wealth among over-55s.
Andrew Stevens, general manager at Access Legal, said: “Technology is the natural answer to growing capacity without growing headcount. Digitising traditional workflows empowers conveyancers to confidently navigate market changes and strengthen resilience without placing extra pressure on teams.”
