--- title: Conveyancing - keeping the client at the heart of any changes date: 2026-10-13T09:00:00+01:00 author: Sarah Hannity canonical_url: "https://co-ownership.org/professionals/about-us/news/conveyancing-keeping-the-client-at-the-heart-of-any-changes" section: News --- **Opinion piece** # Conveyancing - keeping the client at the heart of any changes For most people the largest financial transaction that they will make in their lifetime is buying or selling a home, in a process known as conveyancing. It can be complex and measures coming down the track are likely to change aspects of the process. ![charles-oneill-co-ownership](https://co-ownership.s3-assets.com/1140x760px/_1140x760_crop_center-center_none/charles-oneill-co-ownership.jpg) ***By Charles O’Neill, Director of Product Development at Co-Ownership*** **Planned changes have been announced for aspects of the current conveyancing process here in Northern Ireland, the most obvious of which is the digitisation of Land Registration services. Work has already started towards the introduction of a "digital first" approach to the registration of ownership of property in the Land Registry and in the Registry of Deeds. This will provide easier functionality in searching the various registers for which Land Registers is responsible.** The management of shared property is being updated too. With more of us living in apartments and properties with common or shared areas, the Minister of Finance announced in October 2025 the modernisation of how shared property is managed in Northern Ireland. This will involve consideration of policy options including a registration scheme for managing agents, or a more fundamental reform of land law. Then there's a change to residential development in Northern Ireland as part of the Local Development Plans which are being delivered through the planning system. Here, councils will require developers to include affordable homes within new developments to meet local housing needs. These homes could be provided as social homes, affordable rent or as homes that are [only available to buy through Co-Ownership](https://co-ownership.org/homes-only-available-through-co-ownership). As this approach is adopted more widely, it will create mixed-tenure communities which is a key ambition of the government’s Housing Supply Strategy. For solicitors it will mean that in addition to their usual checks, they will want to ensure that the planning permission granted for a development, and any planning agreement under Section 76 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011, are complied with. Additionally, the recent consultation in October 2025 on the home buying and selling process issued by the government at Westminster is likely to have implications for conveyancing here, such as the information that must be provided to buyers of property. On reflection of all these changes to the process whereby we buy and sell homes, both pending and in motion, there are two things that strike me. The first is that it is important to consider the conveyancing process as a whole, to check that improvements in one part of the process do not cause issues in another - the law of unintended consequences. The home buying process should be considered holistically from the moment that a seller decides to put his or her home on the market for sale to the completion of the purchase and completion of the registration of ownership of the purchaser. The second is that we must continue to keep the client at the heart of the conveyancing process. It is incumbent on all the parties involved in the home buying process to work together to ensure the best customer experience for those who are buying or selling their home. What these reforms have in common is that their success depends not just on the legislation itself, but on how well we prepare for and respond to the changes as they land. Solicitors are responsible for guiding clients, helping them navigate one of the most significant decisions of their lives. Keeping that responsibility front of mind - as processes are digitised, as planning obligations evolve, and as new housing routes become part of the mainstream - will matter as much as any individual reform. How we make this work for clients is the question worth asking now, before the changes are upon us. \------ Co-Ownership’s solicitor resources and portal are [available online](https://solicitor.co-ownership.org/login?_gl=1*1hle7k7*_gcl_au*MTkzNTM5NDUxOC4xNzg0NTMzMDQ0LjE4OTYzNDQ3NDMuMTc4NjM2ODgzOC4xNzg2MzY4ODM4Ljg3NTU3Njk0NC4xNzg2MzY4ODM4LjE3ODYzNjg4Mzg.*_ga*MzcxMjAyNjIzLjE3ODQ1NTY0MzE.*_ga_B5YP02VE46*czE3OTE3OTQyMjAkbzE5MiRnMSR0MTc5MTc5NzAwMyRqMzEkbDAkaDEyOTc5OTQzMzc.). **Published 13 October 2026** ### Share this page - [ LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://co-ownership.org/professionals/about-us/news/conveyancing-keeping-the-client-at-the-heart-of-any-changes.md) - [ WhatsApp ](https://wa.me/?text=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fco-ownership.org%2Fprofessionals%2Fabout-us%2Fnews%2Fconveyancing-keeping-the-client-at-the-heart-of-any-changes.md) - ![Co Ownerships Executive Leadership Team Mark Graham Charles O Neill and Glynis Hobson 1140x760px](https://co-ownership.s3-assets.com/1140x760px/_900x600_crop_center-center_none/Co-Ownerships-Executive-Leadership-Team-Mark-Graham-Charles-ONeill-and-Glynis-Hobson-1140x760px.png) [Company updates](/professionals/about-us/news?categories=company-updates) , [Press Releases](/professionals/about-us/news?categories=press-releases) ### [Department for Communities takes significant step to help more into affordable home ownership](https://co-ownership.org/professionals/about-us/news/department-for-communities-takes-significant-step-to-help-more-into-affordable-home-ownership) 9 Sept 2026 4 min read - ![Andrew Shott Director of Finance for Co Ownership 1140x760px](https://co-ownership.s3-assets.com/1140x760px/_900x600_crop_center-center_none/Andrew-Shott-Director-of-Finance-for-Co-Ownership-1140x760px.jpg) [Opinion piece](/professionals/about-us/news?categories=opinion-piece) ### [Housing will only thrive on long-term thinking](https://co-ownership.org/professionals/about-us/news/housing-will-only-thrive-on-long-term-thinking) 2 Jul 2026 7 min read - ![Kevin Bell Trust representative collecting fundraising cheque](https://co-ownership.s3-assets.com/1140x760px/_900x600_crop_center-center_none/Kevin-Bell-Trust-representative-collecting-fundraising-cheque.png) [Company updates](/professionals/about-us/news?categories=company-updates) ### [Co-Ownership raises more than £4000 for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust](https://co-ownership.org/professionals/about-us/news/co-ownership-raises-more-than-4000-for-the-kevin-bell-repatriation-trust) 24 Jun 2026 3 min read