The online conveyancing portal believes that now recent concerns over privatisation have been dismissed, the Land Registry can focus on modernising and bring forward plans to move to fully digital conveyancing.

The Land Registry has opened a consultation on its rules with a set of proposed changes which include a wholesale shift to digital channels for conveyancing and registrations, and the use of the GOV.UK Verify service to authenticate identities.

Kevin Tunnicliffe, managing director of SortRefer, praised the Land Registry and hoped that implementation would follow quickly.

“For those of us who have been leading the battle to move the whole conveyancing process into the 21^st century, I am delighted by the announcement from the Land Registry.

•   Active conveyancing firms rise for the first time in five years
•   Ripe for reform
•   Spring Budget 2017: Industry responds

“I remember there had been a pilot scheme for electronic mortgages over five years ago, but there was little demand at the time.”

Kevin explained that improvements in technology and faster internet speeds had already revolutionised much of the lending industry, but added that although SortRefer had made it easier for brokers to access top-quality conveyancing, the actual mechanism of conveying title and its associated transactions was still largely manual.

“Provided the Land Registry is prepared to move quickly on what I believe will be a positive response from the lending and conveyancing industries, we will see a real revolution in the way in which house sale and purchase is transacted.

“SortRefer stands ready to assist any positive move by the Land Registry that helps [to] speed up the process.”