The government has announced what it calls “the biggest shake-up to the home buying system in this country’s history”, describing the current process as “chaotic” and “a barrier to home ownership.”
In a statement released Sunday, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the proposals aim to “speed up the sluggish housing market” through wide-ranging reforms. These include upfront material information packs, enhanced digital tools such as property logbooks and ID verification, mandatory qualifications and a code of practice for estate agents, legally binding contracts to prevent dropouts, and a new public register detailing conveyancers’ and agents’ services. According to MHCLG, the changes are expected to halve the number of failed sales—currently costing the economy £1.5 billion annually—and could reduce transaction times by about four weeks.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Buying a home should be a dream, not a nightmare. Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives.”
MHCLG added: “Together, the proposals could create a system that is more streamlined, less stressful, and fit for the future. These reforms would support the wider government agenda to unlock housing supply, improve affordability, and support the delivery of 1.5 million homes over the next parliament.”
Public Consultations Open
Two consultations have been launched—one seeking feedback on the overall proposals and another on what should be included in the new material information packs. These packs would include mandatory details such as title information, leasehold costs, property condition, and chain status. Search and survey data would also be published before a listing goes live, allowing prospective buyers to review a property’s condition, characteristics, and flood risk online. “This will help end nasty surprises which result in last-minute collapses and give greater confidence to first-time buyers,” the MHCLG said.
Industry Reactions
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) welcomed the emphasis on consistent, comprehensive upfront information. RICS CEO Justin Young commented: “RICS has long supported reform of the home buying and selling process, which is too often stressful, costly, and brings uncertainty to buyers and sellers… By embedding transparency, professionalism, and innovation, we can help build a housing market that works better for everyone.”
Rightmove also backed the initiative. Director of Agency Partnerships Christian Balshen noted: “We’ve been working with government to share the experiences of both agents and home-movers… We’ll continue to talk to agents and share their collective views with government.”
Embracing Technology
The proposals include a strong focus on digitalisation, with “consistent, trusted data and digital tools” allowing consumers to track progress in real time. David Morris, Head of Homes at Santander, said: “It’s incredible that buying a home remains much the same for today’s buyers as it did for their grandparents… This consultation reinforces our view that now is the time to fix the system and create one fit for today’s buyers and sellers.”
Nigel Walley, Chair of the Residential Logbook Association, added: “In a world of open and interoperable data, logbooks will deliver clarity and security to homebuyers and support government proposals.”
Raising Professional Standards
The industry has also welcomed the proposed introduction of mandatory qualifications for estate agents. Rightmove’s Head of Events and Education, Jason Charles, said: “We support the move to consult on qualifications that help agents and home-movers… Many agents have already pursued training through our platform to stay ahead of potential legislation.”
RICS echoed this, stating that such measures should “lead to enhanced standards and create better experiences and outcomes for consumers.”
Boosting Transparency and Consumer Confidence
Plans include a new register of conveyancers and estate agents, listing their professional specialisms, performance benchmarks, and use of digital tools such as property logbooks. “This would allow consumers to compare services through a trusted source and ensure they are paying a fair price,” the consultation document said. The document also acknowledges that conveyancing now takes “60% longer in 2025 than it did in 2007” due to factors like complex property titles and repeated Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks. The government suggests streamlining AML processes and exploring the use of AI in conveyancing to reduce delays.
Industry Leaders Call for Collaboration
Propertymark CEO Nathan Emerson commented: “It’s encouraging to see renewed commitment to review the process. Creating a more connected ecosystem will raise standards, boost productivity, and reduce costly fall-throughs.”
Rightmove CEO Johan Svanstrom added: “The home-moving process involves many fragmented parts, and there’s too much uncertainty and cost. Speed, connected data, and simplicity should be key goals.”
Nationwide’s Group Director of Mortgages, Henry Jordan, agreed: “We must collaborate to simplify and streamline the home buying process for consumers, brokers, and lenders.”
Next Steps
The government’s home buying and selling reform consultation is now open and will close on 21 December, while the consultation on material information in listings opens at 9am on 6 October.
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Source: Today's Conveyancer
