What the Government’s Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap Means for Buyers and Sellers
June 2026
The government has published a major reform roadmap for home buying and selling in England - the most significant overhaul of the system in a generation. If you're planning to buy or sell a property in the next few years, here's what's changing, when, and what it means in practice.
Why the UK Home Buying and Selling Process Needs to Change
The current home buying and selling process in England is, by the government's own admission, not working well enough. On average, it takes around 120 days to complete a transaction once an offer is accepted - a figure that is now around 60% longer than it was in 2007. Around one in three sales falls through entirely, costing buyers and sellers wasted fees, wasted time, and significant stress.The government's roadmap sets out a clear ambition - to make moving home faster, more certain, and more transparent for buyers, sellers, and the professionals who support them.
Home Buying and Selling Reform: What's Changing and When
The reforms are being introduced in phases. Here's what's planned across the timeline:2026
- New guidance published to help estate agents give buyers better information in property listings from the outset
- Industry working voluntarily to provide more upfront property information ahead of it becoming law
- New non-statutory Code of Practice published, setting minimum standards for estate agents
- Government raising awareness of voluntary reservation agreements to reduce last-minute fall-throughs
2027-2028
- Consultation on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents
- Advisory Charter published to help consumers identify quality property professionals
- Consultation on legislation for leasehold and freehold estate sales information
By the End of Parliament
- Legislation requiring upfront “sales packs” before a property is listed, including searches and a condition report
- Binding conditional contracts introduced, making sales legally binding at an earlier stage
- Digital property logbooks and sales packs become a standard, legal requirement for all transactions
The Five Changes That Will Change How Homes Are Bought and Sold
1. Upfront Sales Packs
One of the most significant changes is the plan to require sellers to prepare a “sales pack” before their property is listed.This will include:
- Property searches - the same searches a buyer's solicitor currently orders after an offer is accepted
- A property condition report - an assessment of the state of the building
- Key legal and title information
The aim is that if buyers have this information upfront, they can make informed decisions before making an offer, reducing the risk of nasty surprises later and the costly delays that currently follow.
Legislation to make this mandatory is planned but not yet in force. In the meantime, the government is working with the industry to encourage voluntary adoption now.
2. Binding Conditional Contracts
The changes plan to make property sales legally binding much earlier in the process. Currently, either party can walk away from a sale right up until exchange of contracts - often weeks or months after an offer has been accepted, money has been spent, and plans have been made.Under the proposed changes, buyers and sellers would enter into a binding conditional contract earlier in the transaction. If either party then pulled out without a legitimate reason, financial penalties would apply.
Legitimate exceptions will be built in, for things like a serious change in financial circumstances, newly discovered property problems, or the collapse of a chain. But the days of pulling out at the last minute on a whim, at significant cost to the other party, would be over.
Importantly, this will only come into force once upfront sales packs are introduced. Buyers will not be asked to commit before they have the information they need.
3. Digital Property Logbooks and Sales Packs
The government plans to legislate for digital property logbooks to become a standard feature of all transactions. This would involve secure online records held by homeowners, containing key information about their property.These logbooks will travel with the property over time, making it easier for future buyers to access reliable information quickly. Combined with digital sales packs, the aim is to reduce the amount of information being gathered from scratch in every transaction, cutting delays and duplication.
4. Better Standards for Estate Agents
A new non-statutory Code of Practice is being published this year, setting out minimum standards for how estate agents should operate. A consultation on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents will follow in 2027.This is a significant step. Currently, anyone can set up as an estate agent without any formal qualification. The reforms are designed to raise the floor across the industry, giving buyers and sellers greater confidence in the professionals they're working with.
5. More Upfront Information in Property Listings
From this year, new government guidance will set clearer expectations for what information should appear in a property listing from the outset.This includes things like:
- Tenure - freehold or leasehold, and if leasehold, the remaining lease length
- Service charges and ground rent, where applicable
- Flood risk and construction type
- Parking, utilities, and broadband
- Any known issues with the property
The intention is that buyers can make a properly informed decision before they even book a viewing, saving everyone time.
What The Reforms Mean If You're Buying A Home in Fulham or Hammersmith
- You'll have better information earlier. Sales packs and improved listing information mean fewer nasty surprises after an offer is made.
- Your offer will carry more weight. Once binding contracts are introduced, a seller who accepts your offer is making a genuine commitment to proceed.
- The process should be faster. With more information available upfront and fewer reasons for delays mid-transaction, average completion times are expected to fall significantly.
- You can have more confidence in your agent. The new Code of Practice and future mandatory qualifications will raise standards across the industry.
What The Reforms Mean If You're Selling A Home in Fulham or Hammersmith
- You'll need to prepare more information before listing. Sales packs will require gathering searches and a condition report upfront. This will mean additional costs, but should reduce delays and fall-throughs down the line.
- Your sale is less likely to collapse. Binding contracts mean buyers are genuinely committed. Fewer sales falling through at the last minute means less wasted money and more certainty for you.
- Information about your property must be accurate and complete. The guidance on material information in listings means sellers have a clearer obligation to disclose relevant details from the start. This is better for everyone as it builds trust and reduces disputes.
- Leasehold sellers will have better protection. Separate legislation will cap the fees and turnaround times for freeholders and managing agents providing information for a leasehold sale, which is currently a significant source of delays and costs.
Leasehold Property Sales
A specific strand of the reforms addresses a problem many leasehold sellers know all too well - the delays and excessive costs involved in obtaining information from freeholders and managing agents. Currently, sellers can be left waiting weeks and having to pay significant fees for information that is needed to progress a sale.The government will use existing powers under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to cap fees and set maximum response times. A consultation on the secondary legislation will follow in 2027, with clear, practical guidance published ahead of that to set expectations now.
Why The Reform Matters For Buyers and Sellers in Fulham and Hammersmith
At Lawsons & Daughters, we welcome the proposed reform. The problems it's designed to fix, such as fall-throughs, delays, late surprises, and a lack of trust in the process, are things we see and work hard to manage for our clients every day. A system that provides better information earlier, creates genuine commitment between buyers and sellers, and raises standards across the industry is one that works better for everyone.For buyers and sellers in Fulham and Hammersmith, these changes will take time to bed in. In the meantime, working with experienced, locally rooted agents who already operate to high standards, and who understand the local market in depth, remains the best way to give your home the best possible chance of selling and completing smoothly.
Thinking of selling your home, or looking for your next home? Call us on 020 8563 0202 or fill out our enquiry form for assistance.
Lawsons & Daughters
Experts in property. Part of the community.