Government Announces a Homebuying Shake-Up: What Could It Mean for Buyers, Sellers and Surveys?
- 3 days ago
- 13 min read
Buying or selling a home in England can be painfully slow.
An offer is accepted, everyone starts planning ahead, and then the transaction can spend months moving between estate agents, solicitors, lenders, surveyors and local authorities. During that time, either party can usually withdraw, often after a considerable amount of money has already been spent.
The government has now announced plans for a major overhaul of the process.
The proposals include upfront sales packs, more property information being available when a home is first listed, digital property logbooks and agreements that could make buyers and sellers legally committed much earlier.
The aim is to speed things up, reduce wasted costs and stop so many transactions falling through.
On the face of it, that sounds positive. The current system clearly has room for improvement. However, the detail will matter, particularly when it comes to what buyers are told about a property’s condition and whether an upfront report might be mistaken for an independent survey.
What is actually being proposed?
Under the plans, sellers and estate agents would need to provide key information about a property when it is placed on the market.
The proposed sales packs would include information about:
The condition of the property
Leasehold costs
The seller’s position within the chain
Other information needed by buyers and property professionals
The government also wants to introduce digital property logbooks, digital identity checks, electronic signatures and greater use of technology throughout conveyancing.
The idea is that buyers should have a clearer picture from the beginning, rather than finding out about important issues several weeks after their offer has been accepted.
The government estimates that the reforms could reduce the average transaction time by around four weeks, save a first-time buyer an average of £650 and significantly reduce the number of sales that fall through. It says the average purchase currently takes around 120 days and approximately one in three transactions fails before completion.
Those are ambitious claims, but few people involved in property transactions would disagree that the current process is often too slow and uncertain.
Is this happening immediately?
No, and this is important.
This is a roadmap for reform rather than an overnight change in the law.
The government intends to introduce a new Code of Practice and guidance aimed at improving property listings later in 2026. Consultation on estate agent qualifications and further digital tools is planned from 2027, with legislation covering sales packs, binding contracts and digital property systems intended by the end of the current Parliament.
For now, the existing homebuying process remains in place.
There are also some significant details still to be worked out, including:
Exactly what a sales pack must contain
Who will prepare each part of it
What form the condition information will take
How recently the property must have been inspected
Whether the buyer can legally rely on the report
Who is responsible if information is wrong or incomplete
What would count as a valid reason for withdrawing from a binding agreement
Those details will decide whether the reforms genuinely improve the process or simply introduce another layer of paperwork and cost.
Why providing information earlier could really help
In principle, giving buyers more information from the start is a very good idea.
At present, important issues are often discovered surprisingly late in the transaction.
A buyer may only find out several weeks after making an offer that:
An extension does not have the expected approvals
A chimney breast has been removed and the method of support is unclear
The property is leasehold with higher service charges than expected
Major works are planned to a block of flats
The remaining lease is shorter than anticipated
The seller is involved in a complicated chain
There is an unresolved boundary or access issue
The roof requires significant repair
By this stage, the buyer may already have paid for legal work, searches, a mortgage application, valuation and survey.
Earlier information could help buyers identify obvious deal-breakers before spending too much money or becoming emotionally committed to the property. It could also allow solicitors, lenders, surveyors and estate agents to start addressing the important issues sooner.
For sellers, it may mean more preparation before the property is marketed, but that could prevent weeks of delays later.
A local estate agent’s view
To add a practical local perspective, I asked Daniel Bowden, director and co-founder of Bowdens Estate Agents in Cambourne, for his thoughts on the proposals. Daniel and his team deal directly with buyers, sellers and transaction chains, so they see first hand where delays develop and what can cause an apparently straightforward sale to stall.
Daniel said:
“Currently, one of the biggest causes of delay within the home moving process is a lack of appreciation for how long certain stages can take. Many sellers wait until a sale has been agreed before gathering key documentation, when in reality being "sale ready" from the outset could save several weeks and help transactions progress far more smoothly.
Another significant factor is the choice of conveyancer. While it can be tempting to select a solicitor based solely on price, experience and local knowledge often prove far more valuable. In many cases, choosing the right solicitor can save considerably more time and stress throughout the transaction.
I believe the introduction of upfront information packs has the potential to reduce fall-through rates significantly. Buyers will have a much clearer understanding of what they are purchasing before committing, helping to minimise surprises later in the process. The proposed financial commitment for buyers who withdraw without a legitimate reason could also encourage greater certainty and accountability. At present, there is very little consequence for a buyer pulling out of a transaction, which can leave sellers facing considerable financial and emotional costs.
For sellers, these changes should encourage better preparation before a property is brought to market. Having key information available from the outset can reduce uncertainty, remove much of the stress associated with a sale, and provide greater confidence that a transaction will reach completion. In addition, upfront reports can identify potential issues early, allowing sellers to address concerns before negotiations begin and strengthening their position throughout the process.
My main concern is ensuring that any new system remains affordable and accessible. If the market becomes dominated by large corporate providers controlling the process, there is a risk that independent and family-run businesses could be disadvantaged. It is important that any reforms are implemented fairly, creating a level playing field for businesses of all sizes while still delivering benefits to consumers.
Ultimately, only time will tell whether these changes achieve their intended goals. However, I have always admired the way property transactions are handled in countries such as Scotland and the United States, where the process is often quicker, more transparent, and provides greater certainty for all parties involved.
Finally, I believe that greater emphasis on professional accreditation and qualifications for business owners and staff would help raise standards across the industry. Recognising and promoting professional competence would reward those businesses that operate with honesty, integrity, and a genuine commitment to delivering the best outcomes for their clients.”
That day-to-day perspective matters. Estate agents are often the people trying to keep buyers, sellers, solicitors, lenders and other professionals moving in the same direction. A reform may look sensible on paper, but it also needs to work in the reality of a busy transaction.
What will a sales pack say about the property’s condition?
From a surveyor’s point of view, this is probably the biggest unanswered question.
The announcement says that sales packs will set out a home’s condition, but that phrase could mean several very different things.
There is a substantial difference between:
A questionnaire completed by the seller
Basic information entered by an estate agent
A short visual condition summary
A mortgage valuation
A detailed RICS Level 3 Building Survey
A specialist structural, drainage or damp investigation
These documents have different purposes, scopes and limitations. They should not be treated as interchangeable.
A mortgage valuation, for example, is mainly prepared for the lender to decide whether the property provides suitable security for the loan. It is not a detailed report on the building’s condition for the buyer.
Equally, a short condition report might record that the roof is weathered, but it may not explain the likely cause of internal staining, whether repairs are urgent, the possible consequences of leaving the defect unresolved or the most appropriate route for repair.
What would a useful condition report need to tell buyers?
For an upfront condition report to be genuinely useful, the buyer would need to know:
Who inspected the property
The inspector’s qualifications and regulatory status
Who instructed and paid for the report
The date of the inspection
The scope and level of the inspection
Which areas could not be accessed
Whether the property was occupied and furnished
Whether any services were tested
What limitations apply
Whether the buyer is legally entitled to rely on the findings
There would also need to be suitable professional indemnity insurance, clear accountability and a proper complaints process if the report were prepared negligently.
RICS has welcomed the principle of giving buyers clearer information sooner, while emphasising that reliable condition information should be prepared by appropriately qualified and regulated surveyors.
More information is only helpful if buyers can trust it and understand exactly what it does and does not cover.
Will a sales pack replace the need for a buyer’s survey?
At this stage, I would be very cautious about assuming that it will.
An upfront condition report could still be extremely useful. It may identify obvious problems earlier and help a buyer decide whether a property deserves further consideration.
However, there are several questions buyers will need to ask.
Who commissioned the report?
A seller-commissioned report is not automatically unreliable. However, the buyer needs to understand who the surveyor was working for and whether the duty of care extends to them.
Simply being given a copy does not necessarily mean the buyer has the legal right to rely upon its contents.
What level of inspection was carried out?
A brief visual condition summary is not the same as a Level 2 or Level 3 Survey.
Someone purchasing a conventional modern house in reasonable condition may require a different level of advice from someone buying a Victorian house, a listed cottage or a heavily extended family home.
How old is the information?
Properties change.
A roof can start leaking, a crack can widen, a gutter can fail and an area that was dry during one inspection may later become damp.
There will need to be clear rules about how long an upfront condition report remains current and whether it must be reviewed before it is passed to a buyer.
Was access restricted?
Most properties are occupied and furnished when inspected.
Floor coverings, stored belongings, fitted furniture, loft insulation and fixed panels can all prevent parts of the building from being seen. Buyers need to understand what could not be inspected and what risks remain hidden.
Does the report consider that particular buyer’s plans?
A buyer may be planning to extend the property, convert the loft or carry out a full refurbishment.
Those plans can make issues such as construction type, roof structure, drainage, movement and previous alterations particularly important.
A general seller-commissioned report may not answer the questions that matter most to the person actually buying the property.
Why independence still matters
The seller understandably wants to sell the property.
The estate agent acts for the seller.
A surveyor instructed directly by the buyer has a different role. They are assessing the property from the buyer’s perspective.
That means considering not only whether a defect is present, but also:
What may have caused it
Whether it is likely to be historic or ongoing
How serious the consequences could be
What might happen if it is left unresolved
What repairs may be appropriate
Whether further investigation is justified
Whether it affects the buyer’s intended plans
What should be raised with the legal adviser
Whether quotations should be obtained before exchange
That is more than simply recording whether part of the building looked satisfactory or defective on the day.
A practical example
Take an extended Victorian house.
The proposed sales pack might confirm that a rear extension exists and include planning and Building Regulation documents. That would be helpful and could save time during the legal process.
However, a physical survey might still identify:
Cracking where the extension meets the original building
Defective flashings at the roof junction
Inadequate falls to a flat roof
Restricted subfloor ventilation
Raised external ground levels
Dampness where the old and new walls meet
Altered or poorly arranged drainage
An internal wall or chimney breast removed without visible evidence of adequate support
The paperwork and the survey answer different questions.
The documents may confirm that consent was obtained. The survey considers how the work is currently performing and whether defects have developed since it was completed.
Both forms of information can be valuable. One should not automatically be treated as a substitute for the other.
Older and altered properties rarely fit neatly into a checklist
A standardised condition report may work reasonably well for a straightforward modern property.
Older and more complicated buildings are different.
A period house may include solid masonry walls, traditional mortar, suspended timber floors, shallow foundations, ageing chimneys and decades of previous repairs and alterations.
Dampness in this type of property cannot always be reduced to a tick box saying that the damp-proof course has failed. It may instead be linked to leaking gutters, high external ground levels, limited ventilation, unsuitable cement pointing, impermeable coatings or a combination of several issues.
Extended properties can be equally complicated.
One house might include the original building, a two-storey extension, a later conservatory, a converted garage and a loft conversion. Each part may have a different roof covering, floor construction, wall type, insulation standard and drainage arrangement.
These matters need explanation and context. A basic report might identify a symptom without properly considering its cause, significance or likely consequences.
That is where a detailed Level 3 Building Survey may continue to be particularly valuable.
Could upfront information make independent surveys better?
Yes, absolutely.
Sales packs and independent surveys do not need to be in competition with one another.
A well-prepared pack could give the buyer and surveyor useful information before the inspection, including:
Planning approvals
Building Regulation completion certificates
Guarantees and warranties
Leasehold documents
Service charge information
Details of extensions and alterations
Drainage information
Previous insurance claims
Records of significant repairs
Earlier reports
The surveyor could then compare the documents with what is physically visible at the property.
For example, if the paperwork shows that a loft conversion was completed eight years ago, the surveyor could pay closer attention to the roof structure, insulation, ventilation, fire precautions, staircase arrangement and any visible movement.
Used properly, better upfront information could make the buyer’s survey more focused and useful rather than making it unnecessary.
Is this just Home Information Packs returning?
Some buyers and sellers will remember Home Information Packs, usually known as HIPs.
HIPs were introduced in 2007 and required sellers to obtain a standard collection of property documents before marketing their home. The requirement was suspended in May 2010 and later abolished.
The new proposals are wider than the previous HIP system. They include digital property logbooks, secure sharing of information, professional standards and earlier binding agreements.
Even so, the previous experience provides an important lesson.
Buyers must see value in the information they receive. It needs to be accurate, current, trusted and useful to the transaction.
An upfront pack that simply adds another cost without answering the questions buyers actually have would not solve the problem.
What are earlier binding agreements?
The government also intends to make transactions legally binding earlier, potentially once an offer has been accepted and the necessary upfront information has been provided.
Under the proposals, buyers and sellers could enter a conditional agreement setting out the steps both sides must take. Someone who withdraws without a valid reason or fails to meet their obligations could face a financial penalty.
The government has acknowledged that this would be a fundamental change. Further work is needed to decide fair penalties, valid exceptions and how disagreements would be resolved. It has also said binding agreements would not be introduced until sales packs were established, so buyers should have access to important property information before becoming committed.
That sequencing is essential.
A buyer should not become financially tied to a property before receiving enough reliable information to make an informed decision.
What happens when a serious problem is found?
Any binding system will need clear safeguards for genuine problems discovered during the transaction.
For example, what happens if:
A survey identifies significant structural movement?
The roof requires complete replacement?
Unsafe structural alterations are found?
Extensive timber decay is discovered?
The lender refuses the mortgage?
The valuation is below the agreed price?
The legal title reveals a serious restriction?
The seller failed to disclose important information?
These situations are not simply buyers changing their minds.
A workable system must distinguish between someone withdrawing without good reason and someone responding reasonably to significant new information.
Buyers should still be able to renegotiate or withdraw where a serious physical, legal or financial issue comes to light.
What could the proposals mean for sellers?
For sellers, the biggest practical change may be the amount of preparation required before the property is advertised.
Instead of gathering documents after an offer has been accepted, sellers may need to have more information ready at the start.
That could include:
Planning and Building Regulation paperwork
Guarantees and certificates
Leasehold and service charge information
Details of previous extensions
Drainage information
Chain details
A property condition report
That may feel like extra work, but it could prevent delays later.
It might also encourage sellers to deal with obvious issues before marketing. A missing certificate, blocked gutter, small leak or incomplete leasehold pack is usually easier to address before a buyer is waiting for answers.
There is, however, likely to be concern about cost. The final proposals will need to be clear about what sellers must provide, who pays for it and whether the information can be reused if the first buyer withdraws.
What could this mean for estate agents?
Estate agents may become responsible for making sure more information is available before a listing goes live.
The government plans to introduce a new Code of Practice and later consult on mandatory qualifications for property agents.
Better listings could help buyers understand matters such as:
Whether the property is freehold or leasehold
The remaining lease length
Service charges
Chain status
Known extensions
Relevant restrictions
Available condition information
However, clear professional boundaries will still be needed.
Estate agents are not building surveyors, structural engineers or legal advisers. They should not be expected to provide technical opinions on cracking, structural movement, dampness or roof condition.
Each professional needs to remain responsible for advice within their own field.
What should buyers do now?
For the time being, nothing has changed.
The government has announced its intended direction, but the detailed standards and legislation are still to follow.
Buyers should continue to:
Instruct an appropriate legal adviser
Arrange their mortgage
Choose a suitable level of survey
Review planning and alteration documents
Obtain specialist advice where justified
Resolve important physical and legal issues before exchange
Buyers should also remain cautious when relying on reports originally prepared for somebody else.
Even when more information becomes available upfront, you will still need to understand who prepared it, what was inspected, what limitations apply and whether you are legally entitled to rely on it.
My view
The homebuying process does need improving.
More information at the beginning, better use of technology and fewer last-minute surprises could save buyers and sellers a great deal of time, money and frustration.
Providing information about a property’s condition earlier could also be a positive step. Too many buyers only discover major defects once they are already emotionally and financially committed.
However, the quality, scope and independence of that information will be crucial.
A brief condition summary should not be presented as equivalent to a detailed independent survey, particularly where the property is older, extended, altered or unusual.
The best outcome would be a system where sellers prepare properly before marketing, buyers receive useful information sooner and professionals can begin their work without waiting weeks for basic documents.
An independent survey could then build on that information, focusing on the property’s actual condition, the significance of the defects found and what they mean for the person buying it.
Done properly, the reforms could make homebuying quicker and more certain without reducing the protection available to buyers.
That would be a genuine improvement.
Buying a property and unsure which survey you need?
JWA Surveyors provides independent RICS Level 2 Home Surveys and RICS Level 3 Building Surveys across Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.
The right survey depends on the age, construction, condition and alteration history of the property. Whether you are buying a conventional modern home, an older period property or a heavily extended house, the aim is to help you understand what you are taking on before exchange.
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