Keeping the Land Registry portal, HMRC SDLT submissions and the search portals reliable comes down to three things: a stable, fast internet connection, properly managed and patched devices and browsers, and an IT partner who fixes portal and access problems quickly when a deadline is looming. For conveyancing solicitors this is part of managed IT that usually costs about £45 to £100 per user per month.
These portals are deadline-critical. A failed SDLT submission or a Land Registry portal that will not load on the day of completion is not a minor annoyance, it can hold up money and contracts. Here is what keeps them dependable for a busy practice in Harlow and the surrounding area.
1. A connection you can rely on
The portals are only as reliable as your internet. Resilient business broadband or a leased line, ideally with a backup connection that takes over automatically, keeps submissions flowing even if the main line drops. For a practice handling completions, that resilience pays for itself the first time a line fails on a Friday afternoon.
2. Managed devices and browsers
Government and search portals can be fussy about browser versions, certificates and security settings. When devices are centrally managed, patched and configured consistently, those portals keep working and a sudden change does not break submissions across the office. Left unmanaged, one Windows or browser update can stop a portal loading for everyone.
3. Access, credentials and leavers
Portal logins need to be controlled: multi-factor authentication where it is offered, shared access handled properly rather than passwords on sticky notes, and access removed promptly when someone leaves. Good identity management keeps submissions secure and means a staff change never locks you out of a portal at the wrong moment.
4. Fast support when a deadline is looming
When a portal will not cooperate an hour before a deadline, you need someone who responds quickly, knows these systems, and can tell the difference between your problem and the portal being down. Proactive monitoring also catches connection and device issues before they reach the portal at all.
What good looks like
Done well, the portals simply work. Submissions go through, the connection holds, devices stay consistent, and on the rare occasion something breaks it is fixed fast. Your fee earners stop thinking about the technology and get on with the completion, which is exactly how it should be.
A real example: resilience that pays off
We support a conveyancing practice with resilient connectivity and centrally managed devices across multiple offices. When an issue did hit one site, the backup connection and consistent setup meant the team kept submitting and working with no lost completions, the kind of resilience that only shows its value on a bad day.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for conveyancing solicitors should be able to answer:
- Have you supported the Land Registry, HMRC and search portals for conveyancers before?
- What is your response time when a portal or submission fails near a deadline?
- Do you provide a resilient connection with automatic failover?
- Are our devices and browsers centrally managed and patched so portals keep working?
- Is the price clear and per user, with this support included?
Where to start
If portal or submission problems are a regular frustration, a short review is the quickest way to fix it. Check whether your connection has any resilience, whether devices and browsers are managed consistently, and who is actually accountable when a portal fails. Most practices find that a little resilience and central management removes the recurring deadline-day panic, and turns the portals from a worry into something nobody has to think about.
Why the cheapest option costs more
It is tempting to pick the lowest-cost connection or an unmanaged setup, but a failed submission or a portal that will not load on completion day can hold up money and contracts, costing far more than resilient connectivity and managed devices. The right question is not the lowest price, but what a lost or delayed completion costs you, and who prevents it from happening.
Why conveyancing solicitors choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including conveyancing solicitors and high-street practices, and we know the software you run every day: LEAP, Oyez forms, eSigner, BigHand, Sage Payroll, PTP and Xero, alongside Microsoft 365. We support conveyancing solicitors in Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want this handled properly for your practice? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.