Outsourcing in conveyancing: navigating PEXA and low volume challenges

In recent years, the landscape of the conveyancing industry has changed drastically. When I entered the industry, the normal settlement process would involve settlement clerks from multiple firms hurriedly exchanging funds and documents whilst trying to race across town within a 15-minute window. In a sharp contrast, most settlements today are done exclusively online using the PEXA platform. There is no rushing out the door to get to the next venue, there are no collection runs to the bank and there is no need to segment every aspect of your day into very specific time blocks.

The widespread adoption of PEXA and electronic conveyancing has resulted in industry wide improvements in efficiency and steam lined workflows. However, it has also given rise to new challenges that primarily affect lower volume firms. PEXA has also played a part in the role out of new legal requirements pertaining to the use of Electronic Lodgment Network Operators (ELNO’s) as well as a requirement to understand how to operate the relevant software correctly.

Firms, including those who specialise in family low or wills and estates, that do not consistently handle property transactions may find value in outsourcing this work to a trusted partner. When a firm does decide to internalise PEXA work, it necessitates setting up new workflows and systems internally and either onboarding new staff or providing additional training to other specialist staff members. Partners, such as SettleIT, have invested huge amounts of time and resources to build the systems and infrastructure to complete the convey aspect as efficiently as possible. Staff members are experienced professionals who are well-versed in this work and specialize in providing a smoother and error-free transaction.

Firms opting to outsource this work gain the inherent efficiencies and cost savings associated with a specialised staff member employing custom software. They can avoid many of the costs that would typically be associated with an in-house operation. Your internal staff can dedicate more time and effort to improving your customers experience in addition to acquiring new customers.

What is the catch? Nothing is perfect, and handing over any aspect of your workflow can be raise a plethora of concerns. Does this partner have the same care for my clients that I do? Do they understand the type of experience and service my business provides? Can I trust them to keep me in the loop when I am removing much of the visibility I would normally have when managing the work myself? These questions, and many more, raise incredibly valid and important concerns. There is no one size fits all answer for any of them. The only true way to begin addressing them is by having built trust with your chosen partner and the service they provide.

A potential partner, such as SettleIT, must be able to demonstrate that they have a proven track record and showcase the systems they have built and operate. What this looks like to you and your firm may differ to a different firm, but a few potential hallmarks may include:

  • How well does the system/partner provide updates or information on the status of my matters?
  • How easy is it to implement these processes into my existing ones?
  • How can this system/partner adapt to the unique and specific aspects that naturally come from lower volumes?
  • Does the cost make sense for my existing margins compared to the time a staff member would spend on it?
  • Can the system/partner adapt to any changes in the future?


Whilst not an exhaustive list, it provides key points to help guide your decision-making process. While there are potential challenges to outsourcing your work, the benefits, including access to experienced industry professionals and improved efficiencies, can be highly valuable for many firms.

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