A leading trade body recently warned conveyancers about the risks of overlooking post-completion formalities and failing to register properties correctly.

In addition, for the second year running, post-completion has a place in the Council for Licensed Conveyancers’ 2025 Risk Agenda, highlighting that the implications of not doing post-completion work either effectively or not at all, are considerable.

Claims for compensation can be made by consumers; repeat business lost; firms removed from lender panels; access professional indemnity insurance made harder; and both complaints and reputational damage generated.

There are obvious ways to try and combat this risk; more diligently checking applications for errors or omissions before submission, or ensuring your post-completion process is streamlined, allowing for applications to be submitted prior to official search expiry dates.

Low priority

However, is it more a question of mindset? By the time a file has reached post-completion, conveyancing fees have usually been paid and although the transaction cannot be forgotten about due to post-completion duties, does one’s intensity over the file lessen? Is the prospect of carrying out post-completion work simply pushed to the back of your ‘to-do list’ or overlooked completely?

Regardless of the reasoning, post-completion deserves attention by firms. It is clear that breaches in post-completion requirements have serious implications for firms and could be the difference between receiving an instruction, retaining a lender panel membership or being sanctioned by a regulatory body.

So, how should the future of post-completion look?

Firstly, this part of the conveyancing process needs to be given the significance it requires; it is equally as important as pre-completion work and needs to be seen as such.

Gap analysis

A gap analysis can be used to review current post-completion practices and identify areas for improvement and potential risks.

Compliance policies specifically tailored to this part of the conveyancing process can be used to ensure regulatory breaches do not occur.

And finally, training, ensuring that all staff working within the post-completion environment have access to sufficient training to allow them to identify errors before registration takes place, or during the registration process.

Post-completion work needs to be taken seriously, or a firm is likely to suffer consequences.”

In summary, post-completion work needs to be taken seriously, or a firm is likely to suffer consequences.

Maria Hardy is from Property Conveyancing Consultancy, a UK-based outsourced post-completion company. Its workforce combines solicitors, conveyancers and post-completion staff members.