The property industry may be going to great effort to digitise and improve the process of buying and selling a home but a Conservative MP is also sticking up for the traditionalists.
Tory MP Matthew Offord issued a written question in Parliament this month concerning the “paper-based system for conveyancing.”
He asked if Housing Secretary Michael Gove would “update the Estate Agents Act 1979 to ensure that the security of the paper-based system for the conveyancing of properties is retained.”
In typical political fashion, Housing Minister Rachel Maclean answered his query by not really addressing it.
She said: “Last year we signalled our intention in the Levelling Up White Paper to work with industry to improve the home buying and selling process.
“We are currently developing a detailed plan to take this work forward, including digitalisation of the residential property sector and improving the quality of upfront information.”
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It's a trifle worrying that our MPs are worrying about paper.
I thought that they were supposed to improve the Home Buying and Selling Process.
Just trying to remember the last time when the use of paper improved efficiency.
Sounds like a local solicitor in his constituency has been explaining about the evils of technology and how it's not the solution to the issues that we see.
100% agree Peter. The housing minister’s reply can effectively be translated as “don’t be stupid, we’re going digital, because it’s obviously better”!
If a conveyancers service and results are better than average, and they work predominantly with paper, it's an own-goal to force those people to work in a way they're not used to or prepared for. I'm a huge proponent of tech as an improver of all things, but only if done right. 90% of the time it is clumsy, mismanaged and results in worse service and results. Call centre conveyancing anyone? Not a great advert.
Yes, of course, digital is the future, and should be adopted, but ONLY because it represents an improvement for everyone, so they adopt it of their own free will.
Forced adoption will backfire, badly.
Spot on.
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