By Legal Futures Associate Hoowla
Peter Ambrose raises some salient points about conveyancing quality and the importance of data in challenging assumptions. The debate over the impact of “factory conveyancing” firms on overall quality needs to move beyond anecdotal evidence. With over 11 years in the industry, Hoowla Case Management has been gathering invaluable insights through its enquiries management feature for over 7 years. This data, collected via our conveyancing software, provides a unique perspective that can help shape a more informed and evidence-based discussion on the matter.
An in-depth look at enquiries on average
Based on just 2 years of Hoowla’s own data, which involves 87990 sale cases, we find the average number of enquiries per case to be slightly higher than Peter’s reported average, with our figures standing at approximately 20 enquiries per transaction. This figure breaks down further: freehold transactions average around 18 enquiries, while leasehold transactions—a category typically requiring more due diligence—average about 26. The range is broad, showing some transactions with as few as 10, while more complex cases have seen up to 378 enquiries.
The trend over time
Our database also highlights a gradual increase in the number of enquiries over the years. In 2022, the average stood at 20 enquiries, slightly rising to 21 in 2023. For the current year (from January through October 2024), we’re observing a slight dip with an average of 18 enquiries per case, but we are aware there are two months left in 2024.
Transaction completion times and enquiries
When we look deeper into the data, we see an interesting trend: the number of enquiries doesn’t always correlate with transaction completion times. For example, the average transaction completion time, based on Hoowla’s data, is 148 days (approximately 4.6 months). However, in cases with higher completion times, around 243 days (8 months) to 365 days (12 months), we can see cases with a much lower number of enquiries.
On the other end of the spectrum, transactions that complete in around 60 days can have as many as 76 enquiries on a single case. This highlights an important observation: large numbers of enquiries don’t necessarily equate to longer transaction times. The critical question is not just about how many enquiries are raised, but rather where the delays are occurring in the process—and how technology can help reduce these inefficiencies.
Hoowla and enquiry management
How can technology make enquiry management easier? With Hoowla, you can handle enquiries on both the purchase and seller sides.
If acting on the purchaser’s side, you can easily draft and add enquiries to letters, then send them directly to the seller’s solicitor. Once the replies come in, you can quickly update your case with responses, keeping track of which enquiries have been dealt with and which are still awaiting a reply.
If working on behalf of the seller, our powerful OCR software makes seller-side enquiry management easier. Simply upload a document, and Hoowla will automatically read the text and add the relevant enquiries to the case. This allows you to reply to enquiries quickly without the need to manually type out all of the questions.
We know your time is precious, so we’ve made sure Hoowla can save you time wherever possible. When completing your OS1/2 form, Hoowla automatically inserts the relevant case details, cutting out the need for duplicate data entry and pre-populating the form for even quicker completion.
If you would like a more detailed look or demonstration, we have an enquiries management video available on our website.
Beyond the numbers: context matters
While tracking the number of enquiries per case is insightful, we recognise that more than these figures is needed to capture conveyancing quality fully. Like Peter, the true measure of quality extends beyond the sheer number of enquiries to include relevance, complexity, and the efficiency with which issues are resolved.
Our data reinforces that a high enquiry count does not inherently equate to poor quality, nor does a low count guarantee expertise. Conveyancing is complex, requiring nuanced handling based on the specifics of each transaction. By enabling firms to document, analyse, and refine their processes, we provide a framework for continuous quality improvement.
Finally, based on Hoowla’s data, by inspecting the top 10 firms submitting the most enquiries it appears they are predominantly not the so-called “factory conveyancers” often criticised in the industry. Instead, they are primarily high street conveyancers—many of whom are smaller, multi-disciplinary firms. This data challenges the assumption that larger, volume-based firms are the main culprits behind high enquiry numbers. In fact, these high street firms, with their local client focus, often raise more enquiries due to the complexity of cases they handle, reinforcing the idea that a high number of enquiries is more about the nature of the transaction than the size of the firm.
Moving towards data-driven transparency
Conveyancing quality needs to be addressed through structured analysis, not assumptions or outdated criticisms. Hoowla Case Management supports firms in maintaining transparency and data integrity, allowing them to turn enquiry management into a benchmarked, measurable process. We look forward to sharing more insights as our data grows, ultimately supporting a constructive dialogue around the difficulties of conveyancing and how data-backed tools can assist firms of all sizes in delivering high-quality services.
We highly recommend booking a no-obligation case management demo with Hoowla CEO Adam Curtis for a full overview of our enquiries management feature and how it integrates with the rest of our case management and conveyancing software.
