Choosing a Conveyancing Partner for Estate Agents: A Guide for Small Agencies

27 October 2026 • 6 min read

Cover for Nova Conveyancing's guide to choosing a conveyancing partner for estate agents

A small estate agency should choose a long-term conveyancing partner on three things: how clearly it communicates, how reliably it progresses cases and how openly it handles referral fees. Nova Conveyancing recommends testing every candidate against the same questions before offering a place on your panel.

Choosing a conveyancing partner for estate agents of any size means trusting another firm with your reputation. When a sale stalls, the buyer or seller usually calls the agent first. This guide looks at how a small agency can compare conveyancing partners, what to ask before agreeing a referral arrangement, and where Nova Conveyancing fits.

Why does a conveyancing partner for estate agents matter so much to a small agency?

A conveyancing partner shapes how clients experience the legal stage of a sale, and delays at that stage often reflect back on the estate agent. A small agency has fewer people available to chase cases, so it relies more on the partner’s updates. TwentyCi data put the national fall-through rate at 23.7% in the first quarter of 2026.

According to TwentyCi data reported by Property Industry Eye on 17 April 2026, the national fall-through rate was 23.7% in Q1 2026, down from 24% in Q1 2025. The figure covers the whole market. What a small agency can influence is who handles its own cases and how reliably they keep everyone informed.

What should a small estate agency look for in a long-term conveyancing partner?

Look for five things: responsiveness, a named contact, proactive updates, open referral fees and a regulated firm with a clear complaints route. Together, they decide whether your sales progressors can get answers without chasing and whether clients stay confident in your recommendation. Put the same questions to every firm before you agree a long-term arrangement.

Check	What good looks like	Question to ask
Responsiveness	Calls and emails answered within a stated time	What is your standard response time, and where is it written down?
A named contact	A person who knows the file and can be reached	Will my progressors have a direct route to the case handler?
Proactive updates	Progress shared without being asked, including delays	How often do you chase other parties, and how do updates reach us?
Open referral fees	Terms agreed in writing and ready to disclose	Can you confirm the referral fee terms in writing so we can disclose them?
Regulation and complaints	A regulated firm with a clear complaints process	Which regulator oversees you, and how are complaints handled?

Nova Conveyancing’s customer survey of September 2026 (n = 161 Nova customers) found that 91% said having a named contact rather than a general helpline is important or very important, and 76% rated responsiveness to initial queries as very important.

How do referral fees work for estate agents, and what should be disclosed?

Estate agents should tell buyers and sellers in writing about any referral arrangement, who it is with and what it is worth, before the client decides whether to use a recommended conveyancer. National Trading Standards estate agency guidance also says clients should be told they are free to use another provider.

This summary follows the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team referral fee guidance as set out by Propertymark and Business Companion. Business Companion links the guidance to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and section 18 of the Estate Agents Act 1979. The guidance is not binding and only the courts can interpret the law, so agencies should take advice from their own compliance contact.

How do you choose and set up a long-term conveyancing partnership?

Choose a long-term conveyancing partner in five steps: define what you need, shortlist regulated firms, put the same questions to each, agree referral terms in writing, then review after a set period. Working through the steps in order keeps the decision focused on service quality and keeps the referral arrangement transparent from the start.

Define what you need. List the case types you refer, how many cases a month you expect and how much progression support your own team can give.
Shortlist regulated firms. Check each firm’s entry on the register of its regulator, such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, and note its complaints process.
Ask the same questions of each firm. Use the table above and ask for response times, who your contact will be and how updates reach your progressors.
Agree referral terms in writing. Confirm the fee arrangement, how you will disclose it and that clients remain free to choose another provider.
Review after a set period. Start with a manageable number of cases, then compare responsiveness, update quality and client feedback before extending the arrangement.

Should a small estate agency use one conveyancing partner or a panel?

A single primary partner gives a small agency one set of processes to learn and one team accountable for updates. Some agencies add a second provider for particular case types or extra capacity. Whichever model you choose, apply the same checks to every firm on your list.

Where does Nova Conveyancing fit?

Nova Conveyancing is a conveyancing partner for estate agents, sales progressors, mortgage brokers and corporate decision-makers. Partners refer their clients, and Nova Conveyancing handles purchase, sale and remortgage work. Its customer charter sets out the service partners and their clients can expect:

Phone calls and emails answered within 24 hours, and sooner for urgent matters.
Other parties chased at least once a week, with regular updates to the client.
A secure client portal showing where each case stands.
Dedicated contact numbers for speaking directly to the team.
Fast track options for clients, with timeframes starting from 7 weeks to exchange. Timeframes depend on the case and on the other parties involved.

The test that matters most

The clearest sign of a good partner is how it behaves when a case does not go to plan. Ask each firm to describe how it keeps an agent informed when a chain slows or an enquiry is outstanding, and listen for specifics: who makes the call, how soon and what the agent is told. Answers like that tell you more about a long-term partnership than any promise made at the start. If you would like to compare Nova Conveyancing against these checks, the partner with us page is the place to start.

Learn more about Nova here: Partner with us

Read why our partners trust us with their clients: Testimonials

What is the national fall-through rate for UK property sales?

The national fall-through rate was 23.7% in the first quarter of 2026. That is according to TwentyCi data reported by Property Industry Eye on 17 April 2026, down from 24% in the first quarter of 2025. The figure covers all agents and conveyancers across the market, so individual agencies and partners will vary.

What should I ask a conveyancing partner about referral fees?

Ask for the referral fee terms in writing, including whether the fee is fixed or varies, so that you can tell clients about it clearly. National Trading Standards guidance says agents should disclose the arrangement, who it is with and its value, and confirm that clients are free to use another provider. Agree how and when it will be disclosed.

Why does a named contact matter in conveyancing?

A named contact gives an agent and the client one person who knows the file. In Nova Conveyancing’s customer survey of September 2026 (n = 161 Nova customers), 91% said having a named contact rather than a general helpline is important or very important. A named contact also lets sales progressors ask a specific person for updates.

How often should a small estate agency review its conveyancing partner?

Review the partnership after an initial set of cases, then at regular intervals that suit your agency. Compare response times, the quality of updates and client feedback each time, using the same checks you applied when you chose the partner. Regular reviews also give you a natural point to revisit referral terms.