Founder to tackle growing ‘crisis’ in sector
A new conveyancing firm has been launched with the aim of overhauling the process to speed up the typical 19-week delay buyers currently face between offer and completion.
Sharpwell Property Law has been founded by veteran London property lawyer and investor Tatiana Sharposhnikova to tackle what she calls a growing “crisis” in the sector, especially for international investors. TwentyEA figures show that the average time to exchange in the UK hit 134 days this year, an all-time high and up 5.9% on 2025.
Sharposhnikova said: “England and Wales have some of the worst delays among comparable nations. Anyone who has seen the effect of these long waits first-hand knows that the system is in crisis.
“For buyers, and particularly for international investors, every additional day of delay leads to spiralling costs and a greater risk of the transaction falling through. Conveyancers have a key role to play in bringing this situation under control. The sector must shape up or lose out as buyers pull back and investors look elsewhere.”
Three issues impacting conveyancing times
Sharposhnikova believes three issues are dragging the market down: poor communication between conveyancers, lenders and agents; a skills shortage in conveyancing; and a lack of ownership by the firms involved in the purchase process.
She said: “Data shows over half of buyers feel they have to chase their solicitor to get updates on their transaction. That would be unacceptable in any other industry. Relying on emails is part of the problem. Solicitors need to re-learn the art of the phone call.
“Meanwhile, solicitor numbers in residential conveyancing are falling, despite a rise in demand for their services. That means a lack of talent and experience, particularly when it comes to transactions involving overseas clients, bespoke purchase funding or non-UK sources of funds.
Ian Boswell and Tatiana Sharposhnikova
A lack of ownership persists
“Perhaps most worrying of all, we see a persistent lack of ownership and co-ordination between estate agents, brokers, lenders and solicitors. Lawyers must take responsibility to drive the process forward and prevent the transaction from unnecessarily falling behind.”
She has launched the new business with Ian Boswell, a finance and corporate strategy executive with 30 years’ experience leading business acquisitions, mergers and high-level board management across the legal and financial sectors.
Boswell said: “Sharpwell Property Law is all about what we believe good conveyancing should look like, and a direct challenge to what the sector currently provides.
“Our clients are professionals, investors and families making the most consequential financial decisions of their lives. They deserve a solicitor who picks up the phone, who understands their transaction in its full complexity, and who takes personal responsibility for its outcome.”
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