By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
Buying a home could soon become faster and less stressful under new government plans to overhaul the system.
Ministers are consulting on proposals that would require sellers to provide more upfront information such as the home’s condition and leasehold costs, introduce the option of binding contracts to cut the number of failed sales and raise professional standards among estate agents.
The government says these changes could shorten transactions by about four weeks and save first-time buyers around £700.
Here, Which? explains the key proposals, when they might take effect and how they could affect the cost of moving.
The government has set out three key changes that aim to improve the way the property market functions.
Sellers and estate agents will be required to provide buyers with more details about a property upfront. This will include information on the home’s condition, leasehold costs and the length of any property chain.
The government believes this will help reduce fall-throughs and surprises later in the process, saving buyers and sellers time and money.
The approach would bring the rest of the UK closer to the system used in Scotland, where valuations and surveys are provided upfront as part of a seller’s home report. Research has shown this leads to fewer failed transactions and faster completions.
Ministers are also considering a standardised digital format for this data, drawing from verified sources such as HM Land Registry and local authorities, to ensure buyers can access accurate information more easily.
Plans are also being explored to make property transactions more secure earlier in the process. Buyers and sellers could choose to sign binding conditional contracts that include a financial penalty if one party pulls out after an offer has been accepted.
The government says this could halve the number of failed transactions, cutting the current fall-through rate of one in three to roughly one in seven.
The government is also consulting on introducing mandatory qualifications and a new code of practice for estate, letting and managing agents. The aim is to raise standards, improve transparency and increase consumer trust in the sector.
There are also plans to make it easier for buyers and sellers to compare agents and conveyancers by publishing information about their experience, performance and specialisms side by side.
The plans are still at an early stage, with the government currently seeking views on how best to modernise the homebuying process.
The consultation, launched by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, is open until 21 December 2025 and invites feedback from buyers, sellers, property professionals and consumer groups across the UK.
Once responses have been reviewed, the government plans to publish a roadmap in winter 2025-2026, setting out how and when reforms could be introduced.
Any legislative changes are likely to take time to implement, so buyers and sellers won’t see major differences until at least 2026 at the earliest.
Find the right mortgage using the fee-free service provided by L&C Mortgages
Compare mortgagesIf you click on the link and complete a mortgage with L&C Mortgages, L&C is paid a commission by the lender and will share part of this fee with Which? Ltd helping fund our not-for-profit mission. We do not allow this relationship to affect our editorial independence. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
The property industry has broadly welcomed the proposals, describing them as long overdue in addressing delays and uncertainty for homebuyers.
Paul Whitehead, CEO at Zoopla, says, 'The homebuying process in the UK remains far too long, too complex, too uncertain and has seen far less digital innovation than many other sectors.
'Consumers are clear in their desire for greater transparency and confidence when making life’s biggest purchase, and improving the visibility of trusted information earlier in the buying process is a key part of speeding up the journey.'
Henry Jordan, Nationwide’s group director of mortgages, said: 'Buying a home is often complex and stressful, which is why the homebuying process needs to be simplified and streamlined for the benefit of consumers, brokers and lenders. The measures being consulted on, along with digitalisation and technology, are a major part of how we will get there.'
Get the best deals, avoid scams, and grow your savings with expert guidance. £4.99 a month or £49 a year, cancel any time.
Join Which? MoneyThe average cost of moving home was estimated at £13,978 in research by Reallymoving, published in November 2024.
That figure is now likely to have risen above £15,000, as the stamp duty threshold changes introduced on 1 April added around £2,500 in tax for property purchases over £250,000.
The government’s proposed reforms may help offset some of this increase, but moving home remains more expensive than before.
Reallymoving also calculated the average cost of buying your first property at £2,186. First-time buyers purchasing a property over £300,000 can expect this figure to be higher, as they will now pay stamp duty. The proposed changes, which could save first-time buyers more than £700, would make a difference to the overall cost of buying a first home.
Of course, the government's announcement does not tackle the major issue for many first-time buyers, sky-high property prices.
Since the start of August, the best fixed rates for remortgaging have edged up slightly. Five-year fixes have risen a little more than two-year deals, with increases of around 0.1 percentage points.
Fixed rates for first-time buyers and home movers have also seen small rises over the same period.
Nicholas Mendes of John Charcol says: 'Looking ahead, the most likely path is a gentle, uneven drift rather than a big swing. If inflation keeps moving in the right direction, lenders should feel comfortable shading down rates when swaps allow. Stronger-than-expected data could still prompt a quick reversal, so timing remains important.'
