The Radical and Hopeful Future of Buying and Selling Homes Revealed
The Radical and Hopeful Future of Buying and Selling Homes Revealed
When it comes to the property industry, Governments are like a dog with a bone. Not content with almost getting the Renters’ Reform Bill over the line, tinkering with the Planning & Infrastructure Bill and working on a new Leasehold & Commonhold Reform Bill, they want to revolutionise how we buy and sell property.
Take part in the consultation
The first step to radical reform was announced in October 2025, with a 12 week consultation on future changes. It calls for the general public, along with property professionals and trade bodies, to complete this online survey by 21st December 2025.
Rather than a series of opened ended questions where people can truly express what they feel about buying and selling, the survey is populated with preformed ideas, so it’s clear in which direction the Government would like to take the market.
New laws on the table
Those taking part in the survey are asked for their thoughts on proposed reforms covering everything from how many times ID is shown to who should be responsible for commissioning a condition report (a survey). Critically, the Government wants to know if changes should be made law, making this consultation a landmark event.
Viewber has read the buying and selling proposals and has distilled the key elements. If you have strong feelings about the reforms being put forward, do complete the online survey before the deadline.
More upfront information
The Government wants buyers to know much more about a property they are interested in from the day it is launched to market. There’s already a requirement called Material Information in operation, which asks agents to disclose details that may influence a buyer’s decision to make an enquiry. This requirement isn’t widely adopted or enforced, however, nor is it standardised. As such, the Government is running a separate consultation specifically on Material Information.
It’s felt, however, Material Information doesn’t go far enough. The Government is consulting on making a whole host of data available upfront – an idea that closely resembles ill-fated Home Information Packs. If adopted, a buyer will be able to potentially view completed searches, a property condition assessment (potentially a basic survey) and details usually supplied on the TA6 form before they book a viewing.
This represents a huge timing and cost shift. At present, it’s the buyer who commissions and pays for a survey and searches – something that happens after an offer has been accepted. Reforms would require these elements to be commissioned and paid for by the seller before they come to market.
Early binding agreements
The Government has been keen to promote the alarming statistic that 1 in 7 sales collapse, with buyers commonly walking away due to a change of heart, or the inability to complete the purchase due to detrimental survey or search findings.
It wants to reduce this fall-through rate by introducing early binding agreements. It is hoped buyers would have more confidence to legally lock in to a purchase if they had access to better upfront information. Instead of waiting for exchange for legal security, an early binding agreement could be signed just after an offer is accepted. The buyer would pay a fee to show intent, which would be forfeited if they withdrew from the deal.
Early binding agreements have already cut fall throughs in other countries, including Scotland. They also save movers money, with less spent on conveyancing only for the transaction to abort.
Digital in, paper out
Almost every aspect of buying and selling involves paperwork but finding, requesting, signing and returning physical documents adds weeks to the conveyancing process. The Government would like every aspect digitised so the flow of information is pretty much instant.
No area would be untouched. There will be huge requirements of HM Land Registry, mortgage lenders, local councils, conveyancers and home movers to comply with digitisation and make data standardised so it can be shared seamlessly. This could be a slow and painful process.
One specific change outlined is the adoption of digital property packs, or logbooks. One would have to be created for every home as it came to market. A digital property pack could possibly contain digital copies of searches, title deeds and the EPC certificate, along with instruction manuals, warrantees/guarantees, servicing details, safety certificates, planning permissions and building control sign offs. Digitisation would also stretch to ID verification, ending the need for buyers and sellers to prove their identity multiple times.
A mandatory qualification for estate agents
The Government has been in possession of a report advises how to drive up standards in estate agency since 2019 but has so far failed to act on recommendations. The consultation sets out to change this.
On the cards is the requirement for estate agents to hold a mandatory professional qualification giving them the right to practice. There will also be a new Code of Practice in estate agency, which movers can use to measure the professionals of agents, and more transparent information regarding the performance, specialisms and reliability of agents and conveyancers, so consumers can choose a business that delivers on its promises.
How quickly can we expect change?
The truthful answer is, don’t hold your breath. While the Government wants to reform buying and selling in this parliament – which is scheduled to end in 2029 – there are huge hurdles and many steps to take.
The survey responses will need reviewing, and those involved in the buying and selling process will need consulting. We would expect a White Paper to follow, with a Bill drawn up that can be presented to parliament.
Even with a Bill in place, the contents will be heard, debated and contested by both the House of Commons and the House for Lords. This can take years, as with the Renters’ Rights Bill. Once agreed, a Bill needs to become an Act (when reforms become law) via Royal Assent.
No overnight changes
Finally, reforms of such magnitude don’t take effect overnight. Royal Assent and adoption can be months – even years apart. We would expect a phased introduction to give all those involved time to adapt.
All that said, Viewber fully supports any reforms that make is simpler, quicker and cheaper to buy and sell property. Change is very much needed as the UK is the slowest out of the world’s top 10 busiest housing markets, with an average timeline of 183 days to sell a home.
