INTERVIEW
ECONVEYANCER
Broker-conveyancer relations: How can they be improved? Karen Rodrigues Director of sales, eConveyancer
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sk a mortgage broker for their view of conveyancing, and the response will likely be along the lines of ‘necessary evil,’” says Karen Rodrigues, director of sales, eConveyancer. Rodrigues believes that advisers understand the crucial importance of getting the legal side right with a property transaction but have often been burned by too many cases in which the process was protracted to the point where a deal was put at risk. “Unfortunately, as an industry, we do not do a good enough job of highlighting to brokers the importance of being selective in which conveyancing partners to work with, and the ways that quality conveyancing firms can help brokers to secure repeat business from their clients,” she said. The primary issue for any broker is the actual conveyancing work, Rodrigues explained. She said advisers wanted to be able to recommend firms that they trusted – that could not only be relied upon to be vigilant regarding the details of a transaction, but could also help push a deal towards completion in a timely manner. “It can be tempting to stick with just one or two local conveyancers who are perhaps something of a jack of all trades when it comes to property,” Rodrigues said. However, the reality is that the legal tasks involved in property transactions can vary significantly based on the buyer. Rodrigues said there was a big difference between a first-time buyer
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MORTGAGE INTRODUCER JUNE 2022
purchasing a new-build flat and an investor picking up commercial premises that will be converted into homes. “A decent panel manager will have a range of conveyancing firms for you and your clients to choose from, each of whom may have a particular area of specialisation,” she added. According to Rodrigues, expertise counts in these more complicated cases, and this could make a real difference to timescales for completion. She believes that having proper support on hand is crucial, too. There would always be cases where the intermediary, or indeed the client, needed extra support. Rodrigues explained that the right panel manager could educate not only the broker but also the client on the conveyancing journey. “At eConveyancer, for example, we have designed and produced several consumer-facing guides that break down the legal jargon and provide a step-by-step guide on what will take place during a case,” she said. “We also offer regular training sessions with several mortgage networks and clubs to help boost broker understanding.” Rodrigues said that while the legal side was the bread and butter of any conveyancing partner, it was important for brokers to bear in mind that there was more to a good panel manager than that. “In fact, picking the right partner can help brokers offer their clients a more rounded service,” she said. Looking at examples, Rodrigues said eConveyancer had built a range of ancillary services that brokers could access for their clients beyond the main conveyancing task. “Some of these are directly related to the move-in question, such as Homebuyer Protection from Surewise, which helps protect client
money in the event that a transaction falls through, but others are not,” Rodrigues said. “Brokers can refer their clients to an online will-writing service, for example.” She said these additional features meant that brokers could go the extra mile for their clients and open up future avenues for working together. “If clients know their broker can help them with a will, they will likely come back to them for help with getting protection in place,” Rodrigues said. She believes this not only secures a stronger relationship with the client but also provides additional revenue streams for the broker. “That’s why when brokers consider the conveyancing firms they might want to work with, they need to look beyond the headline offering and include those ancillary services that could boost their business over the long term,” Rodrigues said. Finally, she noted that it was worth remembering that clients’ experience with the conveyancer would often have a bearing on their ongoing relationship with the broker. If things go poorly – for example, the conveyancer is slow or makes mistakes – then it is the broker who introduced the client to that legal firm who may bear the brunt. However, when things go well, and the conveyancer helps conclude the legal side of a transaction swiftly, then it is ultimately the broker who benefits, as a satisfied client is more likely to provide repeat business, according to Rodrigues. “Working with the right conveyancing partner can make a real difference to the prospects of any broker, but it is up to the industry at large to do a better job of highlighting to advisers how we can support them and their clients,” she concluded. M I www.mortgageintroducer.com
