Practice management software for a conveyancing firm in London in 2026

The verdict in three sentences

For a 22-person conveyancing firm in London, the case management system you already use stays at the core: replacing it with custom software would be costly, slow and risky from a regulatory standpoint. Custom software makes sense as a layer on top: matter tracking, a client portal, automatic chasers and partner dashboards, for a ballpark of 20,000 to 60,000 EUR excl. VAT. The deciding test is simple: does the time lost on chasing, searching and re-keying exceed 1,000 hours a year in the firm?

What conveyancing software already does, and what it does badly

Market case management systems cover the core of the job well: document templates, completion statements, client account accounting, SDLT returns and HM Land Registry submissions. They are built for the fee earner drafting the file, far less for running the firm and handling relationships with clients, estate agents and lenders.

Typical outcome in a 22-person London firm: missing documents are tracked in spreadsheets, chasers go out from personal mailboxes, and the partner cannot tell how many sales are stuck on a missing search, an outstanding mortgage offer or a slow chain.

2026 costs: software alone, custom layer or full replacement

The figures below are 2026 market estimates in EUR excl. VAT for a 22-seat firm (1 EUR is roughly 0.86 GBP). They are not Kolonell prices.

Full replacement makes no sense for a firm of this size. A layer pays off if it genuinely removes chasing and searching hours. For reference on Kolonell's side, such a layer falls within the custom application grid: 4,000,000-7,000,000 FCFA (6,100-10,670 EUR) for a mid-size scope, 7,000,000-15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670-22,870+ EUR) for a complex project with a client portal and several integrations.

Where custom makes sense, and where it does not

Worth building: document tracking per matter type (sale, purchase, remortgage, probate), a client portal that kills the "where is my file?" calls, automatic chasers, a completion calendar shared with agents, and a dashboard combining volume, time to exchange and fees per partner.

Leave to the vendor: everything touching drafting, client account accounting, SDLT filing and AML checks. These components are tied to SRA and CQS requirements, audited and updated with every regulatory change.

Check before signing: how open your vendor is. Some offer a documented API, others only scheduled exports. A read-only integration via daily export costs 2,000 to 5,000 EUR excl. VAT; real-time sync via API can reach 10,000 to 15,000 EUR. On data, hosting should stay in the UK or the EU, with encryption and access logs, because you handle ID documents, family situations and bank details under UK GDPR.

Mini case study

Helen, partner at a 22-person conveyancing firm in Clapham, has 9 fee earners and assistants who each spend around 40 minutes a day chasing, looking up a status or answering the phone. Over 210 working days: 9 x 40 min x 210 = 1,260 hours a year. At a loaded cost of 45 EUR an hour, that is 56,700 EUR a year.

A 45,000 EUR layer (document tracking, client portal, chasers), with 6,000 EUR of annual maintenance, cuts that time by 60% under a cautious assumption: a gain of 34,020 EUR a year, or 28,020 EUR net of maintenance. Payback in about 19 months, without touching the case management system.

FAQ

Do we need to change our case management system to add a layer?

No. The layer reads data from the existing software via exports or API and never edits the legal documents. The 20,000 to 60,000 EUR budget assumes precisely that the core stays in place.

How long does it take to launch a client portal?

Allow 3 to 5 months for a full first release: 3 weeks of scoping, 8 to 12 weeks of development, then testing with 2 or 3 pilot fee earners. A portal limited to document uploads can ship in 8 weeks.

Can client data be hosted outside the UK?

Staying in the UK or the EU is strongly recommended, with encryption and daily backups. Budget 150 to 400 EUR a month for certified hosting suited to sensitive data.

From what firm size does custom become profitable?

Below 8 to 10 staff, the tracking features built into the conveyancing software are usually enough. Above 15 people, chasing time generally exceeds 1,000 hours a year and justifies a layer.

Who owns the code?

Under a well-drafted contract, the firm owns the code and data of the layer. Require delivery of the source code and documentation at every release.

Let's scope your project. Send us your current software, your 3 main pain points and your timeline: we will price a layer within the custom application grid, with a 3 to 5 month schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33, or request your quote.