Currently under pilot, the app aims to streamline the conveyancing process by allowing clients to communicate with case managers directly. They can also perform a wide range of tasks in app and upload relevant documents.

Instead of lengthy forms, home movers using the app are presented with dynamic ‘click-through’ questionnaires which automatically advance to the next relevant question.

Forms are signed and submitted using the app although clients may be asked to go back to incomplete or incorrect sections if required to ensure they are right first time.

O’Neill Patient said the huge efficiency gains delivered by the app would speed up the conveyancing process dramatically, reducing normal industry turnaround times from around two weeks to as little as fifteen minutes.

Andy Scaife, CEO of O’Neill Patient, said: “A new generation of homeowners is increasingly looking for technology-driven solutions to meet their needs.

“Our mission at O’Neill Patient is to sweep away the arcane processes traditionally associated with conveyancing, and to replace them with a modern, fast, customer-friendly approach which puts convenience and ease of use at the heart of the process.

“People don’t want to spend precious time filling in long and complex forms. By putting the whole process in an app, we are responding directly to the needs of today’s consumers.”

Fraud reduction

The conveyancer said the app eliminated the need for emails, which is one of the main sources of fraud in the mortgage process.

The app also automates identity checks, using sophisticated facial recognition technology, and scanning passport chips to ensure authenticity.

During the pilot, the app will be available to private clients, initially for remortgage cases only. This will be extended to sale and purchases in the coming weeks, and the full functionality will be rolled out to the introducer market later in the year.