The number of solicitors practising in residential conveyancing has fallen by more than 2,000 since the end of 2021, while separate market data shows the average time taken to reach exchange has risen to approximately 123 days.
According to the IRN UK Residential Conveyancing Market Report 2026, 10,724 solicitors were practising in residential conveyancing in England and Wales by January 2026. This was more than 2,000 fewer than at the end of 2021.
The report also estimated that 5,904 UK law firms were active in the residential conveyancing sector.
Meanwhile, data from TwentyCi for 2025 put the average time to exchange at approximately 123 days, although transaction times vary considerably depending on the region and individual circumstances.
The figures come as legal software provider Access Legal publishes its State of the UK Conveyancing Market 2026 report, examining the pressures facing conveyancing firms as they manage workloads, regulatory requirements and changing client expectations.
Access Legal, part of The Access Group, provides conveyancing software to law firms. Its latest research draws on 15 months of HM Land Registry (HMLR) data covering April 2025 to June 2026, alongside external market, workforce, client and regulatory sources.
The report incorporates HMLR dealing application volumes, client satisfaction data from 1,388 verified reviews, and an assessment of regulatory changes affecting conveyancing practice during FY25/26 and beyond.
According to the report, conveyancers are dealing with high workloads and longer completion times, creating potential bottlenecks and increasing pressure on teams.
The sector has also faced a series of regulatory and compliance changes since April 2025, adding to the administrative burden on legal teams. These include stricter anti-money laundering requirements, mandatory new TA6 and TA7 property forms, and revised Money Laundering Regulations (MLR) guidance.
With further Treasury reviews expected before the end of the year, the report says conveyancers are likely to continue spending significant time on administrative and compliance work.
The report says the ability to process higher volumes per fee earner is an important metric for firms over the coming year. This can be done with technology, process efficiency and the use of artificial intelligence, the report said.
Andrew Stevens, general manager at Access Legal, said technology could help firms increase capacity without increasing headcount.
“Technology is the natural answer to growing capacity without growing headcount,” he said. “Digitising traditional workflows empowers conveyancers to confidently navigate market changes and strengthen resilience without placing extra pressure on teams.
“Because law firms can’t simply ask conveyancers to work longer hours to solve the deficit challenge, technology has become the primary answer to both modernise and streamline services. While the likes of technology and AI cannot replace empathy or judgement, they can help in alleviating stress and ultimately contribute to preventing burnout, allowing solicitors that time back to build those relationships with clients and to continue carrying out their work.”
The report concludes that firms will need to balance increasing demand and regulatory requirements with the capacity of their existing teams.
The State of the UK Conveyancing Market 2026 analyses HM Land Registry transaction data covering England and Wales from April 2025 to June 2026, alongside external market, workforce, client and regulatory sources.
