Key industry figures have thrown their weight behind the government’s proposals for wholesale change to how we buy and sell houses.

Full details of the proposed reforms appear later in this story, but we start with industry reaction.

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Chris Rosindale, chief operating officer at Connells Group, says:  “We welcome the Government’s commitment to modernising the homebuying process.

“Making key property information available earlier and embracing digital solutions will help reduce delays, increase certainty and create a better experience for buyers and sellers.

“We believe in reform that makes the system faster, more transparent and more reliable, and are excited to play our part in this transformation of the homebuying process.”

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Nathan Emerson, chief executive at Propertymark, adds: “A clear focus on professional standards, digitised and trusted information as well as the appropriate use of binding contracts will help to modernise and speed up home moves.

“A lack of upfront and timely information is regularly cited as being a major reason for transactional delays and a root cause of costly fall throughs.

“A phased implementation will ensure the sector has the capability and capacity to support the changes in a managed and staged way.”

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And there’s support from Justin Young, chief executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He states: “RICS welcomes the government’s focus on improving how homes are bought and sold, particularly steps to give people clearer information earlier and reduce transactions breaking down part way through.

“Getting the right information upfront, including a reliable condition report from properly qualified and regulated surveyors, will be essential.”  

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The chief executive of the Council of Licensed Conveyancers, Sheila Kumar, comments:  “The Council for Licensed Conveyancers strongly supports these reforms because they will deliver better outcomes for consumers and professionals alike. 

“…digitalised upfront information that can be shared with trust – especially when combined with reservation agreements – will greatly improve confidence in transactions and allow buyer and seller to agree a date for completion much earlier in the process than at present.”  

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Paul Whitehead, chief executive of Zoopla, says: “Zoopla sits at the heart of the UK property market and over 6 million homeowners are tracking the value of their most important asset and planning their next move. 

“They deserve better than a home-buying process that takes months, falls through too often, and leaves everyone poorer for it. These proposed reforms change that. 

“Upfront sales packs, digital logbooks and binding contracts aren’t just technical reforms – they are the foundations of a market people can trust. Zoopla will continue to be an active partner to the Government and industry in building a faster more transparent system that makes moving simple.” 

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And Johan Svanstrom, Rightmove’s chief executive, agrees. He says: “This is an encouraging step towards a faster and more efficient property market, addressing some of the biggest frustrations that home-movers and industry participants face. 

“By making more information available upfront, there is a clear opportunity to reduce fall-throughs and increase transparency. 

“Our UK-wide data shows that it takes a lengthy 170 days on average to complete a transaction and that over one in five transactions initially falls through. 

“Last year, fall-throughs alone meant that approximately £900 million in potential stamp duty receipts and estate agency commission in England was lost, and consumers lose both precious time, certainty and money when needing to repeat transaction processes. 

“The implementation and phasing of these initiatives will be key to ensure consistency and adoption. It needs to be helpful to the vital role estate agents play in the marketplace, and to avoid any unintended consequences.” 

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TV property guru and Estate Agent Today columnist Phil Spencer says: “I welcome these proposals – they address many of the issues consumers have been grappling with for years, from a lack of upfront information to unnecessary delays and last-minute surprises. 

“Giving people a clearer picture from the outset and creating greater certainty throughout the transaction process can only be a positive step.

“Having spent decades at the heart of the housing market, I’ve seen first-hand the emotional and financial toll that a failed transaction can take. Anything that helps buyers and sellers move with greater confidence and fewer obstacles is to be applauded.”

And a reminder of the changes announced by government…

Digitisation, the return of an upfront sales pack at the point of listing, and binding sales agreements are the key elements of the plan. 

Agents and vendors must provide key information upfront in ‘sales packs’.

These will set out a home’s conditions, leasehold costs, and chain status so buyers can make better informed decisions.

There will also be a new earlier binding agreements “to stop parties walking away months into negotiations without a legitimate reason.”

In addition, there will be a new Code of Practice for estate agents alongside mandatory qualifications “which could ensure agents are properly equipped to support efficient transactions and rebuild trust in the sector.”

It says the average home purchase is now taking around 120 days, one in three sales falling through costing sellers around £400 million per year, and failed transactions costing the economy up to £1.5 billion every year.

At the heart of the reforms is a major shift to digital, replacing paper-based systems.

Digital property logbooks and sales packs will allow information to be shared between professionals and accessed by buyers and sellers in real-time.

The government will also back digital identity checks, electronic signatures and AI-assisted conveyancing.

It says the aim is “to strip out duplication, reduce fraud risk and accelerate transactions from start to finish” and create “a modern, end-to-end system where people can track and progress their move more easily.”

The government announcement cites exemplars from overseas.

The Netherlands uses a live tracking system for buyers and sellers to check their transaction status helping to achieve a final completion time of 20 days on average, whilst Norway’s efforts to streamline and digitalise the system has estimated savings of up to £1.4 billion over 10 years. 

The government announcement concludes: “This package will inject fresh momentum into the housing market and help people keep more money in their pockets by cutting the hidden costs and delays in buying a home to ease cost of living pressures.”

The government has given a broad timeline for the changes.

• Later this year: a Code of Practice to set out minimum standards for property agents and guidance to improve the quality of information in property listings;

• From 2027: consultation on estate agent qualifications and expanded digital tools;

• By the mid-2029 (the end of this parliament): comprehensive legislation to require sales packs, binding contracts, and digital systems that support the efficient sharing of trusted digital property information.