Conveyancing case tracker

NI_Sense

Hi all. 

I am planning to sell my house to allow me to buy another. On that, as I don't want to be bothering a solicitor as regards progress, has anyone had any experience of using a solicitor with a case tracker system? I've heard these exist, and I would imagine they would cut down the stress of waiting on conveyancing updates/stages, and allow me to plan better basically.

Thanks in advance.

welly_59

Not directly, but a good friend of mine is a partner in one of the case management software systems.
Dezrez legal is a local firm with national footprint that uses their software, but I'm not making any recommendations obviously 

user1977

Bear in mind any case tracker doesn't really help with there being a backlog of incoming stuff to deal with - it doesn't necessarily mean you get an instant update when the solicitors receive something.

anselld

It makes no difference.  The stress of wondering why you havent heard anything is replaced by the stress of wondering why nothing has changed on the tracker.  Either way it is a slow process and if you struggle to chill it is going to be stressful...  and there is usually another fee.

NI_Sense

Thanks all. More of an aid to the process it seems to me. 

eddddy

You can certainly use having a 'case management system' / 'case tracking system' as one consideration for choosing a solicitor.

But I wouldn't make it a key criteria for driving your decision.

The 'budget conveyancing warehouses' all tend to have those systems - but that wouldn't be a good reason for picking one of them. (In fact, many people would say those types of conveyancers are best avoided.)

Tiglet2

The implementation of the case management/tracking system for conveyancing solicitors was meant to reduce the amount of telephone calls they receive from clients, therefore saving precious time for staff.  However:

It relies on the solicitor/admin staff updating the tracker as and when necessary.  Sometimes it will be done quickly, other times not so much.  

The tracker system only tells you of steps actually processed or completed, not that they are still waiting for something.

If something takes a while to process, for example the searches take 5 weeks, can you honestly say you won't chase them during those 5 weeks? 

I have worked with a case management system and would say that clients still telephone just as much with the system as without, and in some cases more often, particularly if the system isn't updated quickly enough for the clients' liking.  

NI_Sense

Tiglet2 said:

The implementation of the case management/tracking system for conveyancing solicitors was meant to reduce the amount of telephone calls they receive from clients, therefore saving precious time for staff.  However:

It relies on the solicitor/admin staff updating the tracker as and when necessary.  Sometimes it will be done quickly, other times not so much.  

The tracker system only tells you of steps actually processed or completed, not that they are still waiting for something.

If something takes a while to process, for example the searches take 5 weeks, can you honestly say you won't chase them during those 5 weeks? 

I have worked with a case management system and would say that clients still telephone just as much with the system as without, and in some cases more often, particularly if the system isn't updated quickly enough for the clients' liking.  

Thanks Tiglet2. Still a good thing I reckon, if combined with the usual phone call and emails to ascertain future required processes. I've learned to be patient, so a delay in  updating is fine. Would just use it as a back reference of processed tasks basically. 

Choirgrl

The solicitor I used had an app for case tracking. It was great for keeping all the info together, being able to check dates when something had happened, and for an outline of the steps still to come. Having said that, by the time the ap had been updated to say a two had been completed I’d already been contacted directly by the conveyancing team. I would say the best thing is so use a conveyancer with a reputation for good communication and keeping the whole process moving.

Jaybee_16

Conveyancer I used stressed their online tracker system and how I'd always be kept in the loop by logging onto their website. Shame they hardly ever updated it so no use at all really. Then again they were hardly contactable either, three times I phoned my conveyancer they were never available and didn't return calls.

I wasn't getting stressed about it as I'd already sold my flat and living in rented but the first time I actually spoke to them was a random call one morning asking if they could exchange and complete today. Pointed out there were questions outstanding from three months ago so no.

NI_Sense

Choirgrl said:

The solicitor I used had an app for case tracking. It was great for keeping all the info together, being able to check dates when something had happened, and for an outline of the steps still to come. Having said that, by the time the ap had been updated to say a two had been completed I’d already been contacted directly by the conveyancing team. I would say the best thing is so use a conveyancer with a reputation for good communication and keeping the whole process moving.

Couldn't agree more