Online conveyancing solicitors — how to choose one
Almost all conveyancing is now done remotely, whatever the firm calls itself. The useful question isn’t online versus local — it’s how to tell a good firm from a cheap one.
Guides · 5 min read · Last updated 22 September 2026
What “online conveyancing” actually means
The work has been remote for years. Searches are ordered electronically, the Land Registry is digital, identity checks are done by app, contracts are signed and witnessed at a distance, and money moves by CHAPS. A high-street firm two streets away and a firm three hundred miles away are doing the same job through the same systems.
So the phrase describes a service model rather than a different product: an online-first firm typically runs a case-tracking portal, works in teams rather than one named solicitor per file, and prices keenly on volume. None of that is good or bad by itself. It changes who you speak to and how quickly.
Check the regulation first
This is the one non-negotiable. Anyone doing conveyancing for you in England and Wales must be authorised to, and the two you will almost always meet are:
- The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) — solicitors and the firms they practise in.
- The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) — licensed conveyancers, who are specialists in property rather than general lawyers.
Both carry compulsory professional indemnity insurance and both have a complaints route that ends at the Legal Ombudsman. A licensed conveyancer is not a lesser option; it’s a different qualification for the same work. CILEX practitioners authorised by CILEx Regulation can also carry out this work, so an unfamiliar regulator is a reason to check rather than to walk away.
You can check any firm directly on the SRA or CLC registers. What you’re looking for is that the trading name you were quoted by is the regulated entity — not a marketing brand sitting in front of one.
Rule of thumb: if you can’t establish who the regulated firm is and what its registration number is, that is the end of the conversation, whatever the quote says.
Every firm on the Conveyancing Index panel is regulated by the SRA or the CLC, insured, credit-checked and monitored.
What actually differs between firms
Price is the least interesting variable, because the disbursements are the same everywhere (the cost guide itemises them) and the legal fee varies by a few hundred pounds. What varies far more:
- Responsiveness. The single biggest determinant of how long your transaction takes. A firm that replies to enquiries within a day will beat a cheaper firm that replies within a week, every time.
- Who you deal with. A named conveyancer, or a team and a case reference? Neither is wrong, but a team model means explaining your situation more than once.
- How they communicate. A portal you can check at midnight is genuinely useful. A portal that replaces being able to speak to anyone is not.
- Capacity. Firms taking on more files than they can run is the usual cause of a stalled file, and it doesn’t show in a quote.
- Lender panel membership. If the firm isn’t on your mortgage lender’s panel, the lender instructs its own solicitor at your cost. Check before instructing.
Questions worth asking before you instruct
- Who is the regulated firm, and what’s its SRA or CLC number?
- Are you on my lender’s panel?
- Will I have a named contact, and what’s the usual response time?
- Is the quote itemised, including VAT, and what would make it change?
- Is it no-move-no-fee, and what does that cover if the sale collapses?
- What’s your current turnaround on enquiries, and how many files does the person handling mine have?
The sixth question is the one that most distinguishes firms and the one least often asked.
When a local firm still earns its premium
Remote works for most transactions. A local office is worth paying for when:
- the title is unregistered or genuinely unusual, and local knowledge of the area’s quirks helps;
- the property has a known local issue — mining, coastal erosion, a private road or drainage arrangement that local practitioners deal with routinely;
- you would rather hand over documents and identification in person;
- the chain is complex and you value being able to turn up and ask.
None of these is about the paperwork. They’re about access to a person.
Comparing firms rather than just prices? Quotes through the panel show the firm, its regulator and its review score alongside the itemised price. Get my tailored quotes — free.
Quick answers
Is online conveyancing safe?
As safe as the firm is regulated and insured. The risks that matter — a missed title defect, a slow file, or friday-afternoon payment fraud — are not caused by the firm being remote. Always verify bank details by phoning a number you looked up yourself, never one sent to you by email.
Is a licensed conveyancer as good as a solicitor?
For conveyancing, yes. Licensed conveyancers specialise exclusively in property and are regulated by the CLC with the same insurance and complaints protection. A solicitor is qualified more broadly, which matters if your situation needs advice beyond the transaction.
Why are some online quotes so much cheaper?
Usually because they exclude something: VAT, the search pack, or the supplements for leasehold, new build or a gifted deposit. Occasionally because the firm is running high volumes at thin margins, which shows up as slow responses rather than a higher bill. Compare the total, then compare responsiveness.
Does my conveyancer need to be near the property?
No. Nothing in the process requires physical proximity to the property or to you, and a firm in a different county is not at a disadvantage on an ordinary transaction.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Conveyancing Index is not a firm of solicitors or licensed conveyancers — a regulated specialist will advise on your own circumstances.