Research has shown us that one of the most common questions that people ask about online conveyancing services is whether they are safe to use. In this blog we seek to answer that question, though of course, we can only vouch for the service we provide here at Move Home Faster!
Whatever company you choose to carry out your online conveyancing, it's worth carrying out some checks. This diligence will help to ensure you end up dealing with a legitimate, and safe online conveyancing service.
Is online conveyancing safe?
In general yes, online conveyancing is just as safe as using a traditional, high-street conveyancing solicitor! However, there is a big caveat and the onus is on you to ensure the company that you're considering dealing with, is legitimate and trustworthy.
The easiest way to do this is to look for independent reviews.
You might want to avoid weighting too much importance on reviews that appear on a conveyancing website that don't contain names and dates, or that have been submitted directly to the conveyancing website rather than to an independent review website like TrustPilot, Reviews.io or Google Reviews.
If you don’t see a review site logo and link on the conveyancer's website, there’s another way of checking. To locate independent reviews for the conveyancing company you're considering using, go to your search engine of choice and type in the conveyancing company name + "independent reviews” and this should bring up one or more review sites that feature the company.
As well as looking for independent reviews, also take a look at whether the company has responded to any reviews, particularly any negative ones, as this demonstrates their customer service is more active.
You'll also want to look for recent reviews and looking at the date spread of reviews will help you determine how long the company has been actively seeking reviews. If it has only been a few months, this could indicate that the business is relatively new so you might want to choose a company that has been established for a little longer.
Steps you can take
You can take additional steps to help safeguard yourself throughout the online conveyancing process. These are particularly important when you're uploading documents and sending and receiving sensitive information.
Check that the website you are using is secure - The conveyancing company website address should start with "https://" and you should see a little padlock icon beside the website address
Use strong passwords - If you have a client area or can create an online account you can access, ensure you use strong passwords that are difficult to guess or hack.
Be vigilant about scams - Be aware of email and phone scams and don't pass on any sensitive personal or financial information. Do not share any personal or financial information unless you are sure it is a legitimate request from your online conveyancer.
Take a look at what the HomeOwners Alliance has to say about conducting your conveyancing online. You can obtain a fast, free and safe online conveyancing quote here.