5 Common Conveyancing Complaints And What Good Conveyancers Do To Prevent Them

The most common conveyancing complaints, according to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), include poor communication, delays and failure to progress, failure to advise, cost accounting issues, and failure to follow instructions. These are mostly caused by poor client experience, which is why working with a good conveyancer is the key to avoiding conveyancing issues. 

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Key Takeaways:

• Common conveyancing complaints are mostly caused by poor client experience rather than insufficient legal expertise.
• Poor communication is the leading cause of conveyancing complaints. Regular updates, even when there’s little progress, will help avoid this complaint.
• Delays are unavoidable, but they should be explained to keep clients informed of realistic timelines.
• Clear legal advice and transparent pricing build trust and protect buyers and sellers from costly surprises.
• Technology makes conveyancing faster, but it will never replace personal legal service and expertise. Digital tools and dedicated professionals should both be available throughout the transaction.

Property transactions, whether it’s buying or selling, are among the biggest financial decisions in a person’s life. The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) acknowledges that conveyancers play a crucial role in helping people buy and sell homes while protecting their clients from future issues.

This is why it’s natural for people to have high expectations of the conveyancing service they receive. The question is: What do clients say about residential conveyancing?

Residential Conveyancing Gets The Highest Number Of Complaints

Recent findings from the 2025/2026 Annual Report and Accounts of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) revealed that the highest number of complaints received were related to residential conveyancing, at 36.1%. Not only that, but it’s evident that the complaints stem from poor client experience rather than a lack of legal knowledge or expertise.

The Legal Ombudsman’s Spotlight on residential conveyancing highlights that complaints mostly arise during three key stages of a property transaction:

• While setting expectations at the start of the transaction
• During periods where there are few or no updates
• Throughout completion and post-completion communication

Understanding these issues is key to helping buyers and sellers choose the right conveyancer, equipped to provide the best legal advice and client service throughout the property transaction.

What Are The Most Common Conveyancing Complaints?

The 2025/2026 Annual Report and Accounts from the Office for Legal Complaints enumerated 5 distinct complaints received:

• 24.4% Poor communication
• 22.2% Delay and failure to progress
• 18.7% Failure to advise
• 9.1% Cost accounting
• 8.4% Failure to follow instructions

These complaints highlight the importance of communication, expectation management, and proactive case handling in modern conveyancing.

Why is poor communication the biggest complaint?

Poor communication accounts for 1 in 4 conveyancing complaints, as clients feel left in the dark throughout the lengthy conveyancing process. With property transactions involving a significant financial exchange, it’s normal for buyers and sellers to feel anxious until the process is complete.

Which is why they need regular updates to help maintain confidence and reduce uncertainty. At Muve, we have dedicated account managers assigned to every client who provide them with weekly updates. Even if there is no significant progress, we are proactive in helping clients understand:

• What has happened so far
• What is currently outstanding
• Who is responsible for the next step
• When can they expect another update

Clients should be made to understand that property transactions naturally involve waiting on third parties, such as mortgage lenders, local authorities, management companies, surveyors, and other conveyancers or solicitors. They can cause delays that are beyond the client’s or conveyancer’s control.

At the very least, conveyancers should have a 24/7 Client Portal where clients can view real-time case progress, outstanding tasks, completed milestones, and important documents at any time. We noticed that when clients know where a transaction is in the process, it reduces uncertainty, even if there are delays. Even if there’s no progress to report, they should at least be made to understand the cause of the delay.

Why do conveyancing delays cause so many complaints?

The complaints about conveyancing delays mostly arise because they are left unexplained, rather than from the delays themselves. In our experience, buyers and sellers are more understanding as long as they are promptly informed of the cause of the delay and the steps being taken to resolve it.

Delays are common in conveyancing because a significant part of the process relies on third parties (e.g., local authorities, mortgage lenders, other solicitors, management companies). Among the common delays we encounter are:

• Local authority searches
• Enquiries raised by the other solicitor
• Mortgage offer processing
• Title defects
• Property chains
• Leasehold information requests

It’s crucial for clients to understand that not all delays can be prevented. For one, any delay caused by third parties is usually beyond the client’s or conveyancer’s control. However, these can be identified earlier through careful preparation and efficient case management.

At Muve, we use digital onboarding, electronic identity verification, and AI-powered technology to identify potential issues early in the transaction. By spotting missing information or potential legal issues, we can address them before they become major obstacles to exchange or completion, thereby minimising delays and the risk of fall-through.

What happens when a conveyancer fails to advise their client?

Failure to advise means the client did not receive the legal information necessary to make an informed decision regarding the property transaction. Good conveyancing is not just about processing property transaction paperwork. It’s also about explaining the risks, obligations, and available options for the client.

Among the legal information that requires proper explanation are:

• Title defects
• Leasehold obligations
• Restrictive covenants
• Planning issues
• Rights of way
• Potential future risks

If any of these have been discovered during the property transaction, the conveyancer should inform the client and explain why they matter.

As licensed conveyancers by the CLC (Council for Licensed Conveyancers), Muve conveyancers are bound by their Code of Conduct to ensure clients fully understand the conveyancing process. Clients are given a clear explanation of the legal findings in plain language, along with answers to any questions they raise. The dedicated account managers assigned to clients also ensure clients are well informed to avoid misunderstandings before they become complaints.

Why do cost accounting complaints occur?

Complaints about cost usually arise when clients feel they were not fully informed about the fees for unexpected additional work. But when property is explained upfront as a possibility, clients are more accepting of the additional fees.

We’ve found it helpful to provide not just a detailed list of what the legal fees cover, but also a list of disbursement fees. We observed that clients are more at ease when they know we are open to discussing any additional work their specific property transaction may require.

Admittedly, some additional legal work can’t be predicted at the beginning of a transaction. Examples are:

• Complex title issues
• Indemnity insurance
• Leasehold defects
• Additional lender requirements

These situations may incur costs. However, if clients are given clear pricing from the outset, it helps prevent misunderstandings later on. If there’s additional work required, we usually inform our clients immediately and explain:

• Why the additional work is required
• What the additional cost may be
• What other options are available

This open approach helps our clients understand the situation so they can make informed decisions on how to proceed.

What does failure to follow instructions mean?

Failure to follow instructions happens when a conveyancer fails to carry out our agreed actions or misunderstands the client’s objectives. Among the examples are:

• Failing to prioritise a requested completion date
• Overlooking agreed contract amendments
• Misunderstanding instructions regarding fixtures or completion arrangements

Through careful file management, accurate record-keeping, and regular communication, we found that these risks can easily be avoided. Being organised has proven to boost the client’s confidence that their instructions are recorded, confirmed, and communicated to the legal team.

What Should You Look for When Choosing A Conveyancer?

Choosing a conveyancer should involve more than comparing prices. The best conveyancing firms combine legal expertise with efficient technology, transparent pricing, proactive communication, and clear expectation management throughout the property transaction.

Before instructing a conveyancer, ask the following questions:

• What is included in the quoted fee?
• Can I track my case online?
• Will I have a dedicated point of contact?
• How often will I receive updates?
• How are additional costs explained?
• What technology do you use to improve efficiency?

If the conveyancing firm can provide detailed answers, they’re more likely to deliver a smooth experience.

The Key To Avoiding Common Conveyancing Complaints

The Legal Ombudsman reveals an interesting fact about common conveyancing complaints. It’s not about legal competence alone. Clients have higher expectations for the overall conveyancing experience, especially regarding communication, clarity, delays, and costs.

Choosing a conveyancer that prioritises proactive communication, transparency, and efficient case management can significantly improve your experience.

At Muve, we combine experienced CLC-licensed conveyancers with dedicated account managers, transparent pricing, digital onboarding, AI-powered technology, and a 24/7 Client Portal to ensure clients stay informed from instruction through to completion.

If you’re buying or selling a property, we can provide a clear conveyancing quote and a thorough explanation of what to expect, what our fixed legal fee covers, and any potential issues that could lead to additional work and costs.

Find out how our professional conveyancing service avoids the common conveyancing issues uncovered by the Legal Ombudsman.

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About this article 

This article was written by Diana Santos, a legal service and property writer with more than a decade of experience creating educational content for property businesses across the UK. Since joining Muve, she has specialised in UK conveyancing, home buying and selling, and residential property law, researching guidance from organisations including the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and HM Land Registry. 

While this article is reviewed periodically to reflect changes in UK conveyancing practice, it is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.