Conveyancing complaints account for 73% of LeO increase
Summary
The Legal Ombudsman’s 2025/26 annual report shows a 37% rise in complaints overall, with residential conveyancing accounting for 73% of the increase. The main drivers were delays, poor communication and post-completion registration issues, which the LeO says point to broader service breakdowns and weak complaint handling rather than isolated technical mistakes.
Why it matters
For residential property surveyors, the findings reinforce how communication, clarity on scope and timely updates affect client confidence across the transaction chain. They also highlight the importance of managing expectations and recognising where conveyancing service failures may affect completion, registration and onward advice.
Key points
- LeO complaints rose by 37% overall to 14,259.
- Residential conveyancing accounted for 73% of the increase.
- Main complaint drivers were delays, poor communication and post-completion registration problems.
- A quarter of consumers said they received no response to their complaint.
- LeO emphasised clearer expectations, plain-language updates and earlier intervention.
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