The Future of Buying and Selling a Home – What the Government’s New Reform Roadmap Means for You
The way we buy and sell homes in the UK is set for significant change.
The Government has published its Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap, setting out plans to make property transactions faster, more transparent, more digital and less likely to fall through.
At Zest Homes Sales & Lettings, we welcome the focus on improving a process that can often be unnecessarily stressful for buyers and sellers.
Anyone who has moved home knows that agreeing a sale is only the beginning. Searches, enquiries, mortgage applications, surveys, management information and conveyancing can all contribute to delays.
The Government says that it currently takes around 120 days on average from an offer being accepted to completion, while approximately one in three transactions falls through.
So what could change?
More Information Before a Property Goes on the Market
One of the biggest proposed changes is the introduction of a more comprehensive upfront sales pack.
Rather than waiting until a buyer has been found before gathering much of the information required for conveyancing, the longer-term intention is for sellers to prepare key information before their property is listed for sale.
The Government’s proposed sales packs are expected eventually to include information such as property searches and a property condition report.
For sellers, this means preparation could become even more important.
At Zest Homes, we believe this is a positive direction. The more we know about a property at the beginning of a transaction, the better equipped we are to market it accurately, answer buyers’ questions and identify potential issues before they cause delays further down the line.
Digital Property Logbooks
The Government also wants digital property logbooks and digital sales packs to become a standard part of property transactions.
Think of a digital property logbook as a secure record associated with your home, bringing important property information together rather than repeatedly trying to locate documents whenever you decide to sell.
The aim is for trusted property information to be shared more efficiently between sellers, buyers and the professionals involved in a transaction.
This could ultimately make moving home much more joined-up.
Earlier Commitment From Buyers and Sellers
Perhaps one of the most significant proposals is the future introduction of binding conditional contracts.
Under the current system, a buyer or seller can generally withdraw before exchange of contracts, sometimes after months of work and considerable expense.
The Government intends, once comprehensive sales packs have become established, to introduce legislation requiring binding conditional contracts.
These would create greater commitment earlier in the transaction while still allowing people to withdraw in legitimate circumstances.
The detail will be crucial, but the objective is clear: fewer collapsed sales and greater certainty for everyone involved.
Higher Professional Standards for Estate Agents
Another development we particularly welcome is the Government’s commitment to raising professional standards.
Plans include a Code of Practice for property agents and consultation during 2027–2028 on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents.
Buying or selling a home is one of the largest financial transactions most people will ever undertake.
Consumers should therefore be able to expect knowledgeable, accountable and appropriately trained professionals supporting them.
At Zest Homes, we believe professional knowledge, experience and continued development should be fundamental to estate agency — not an optional extra.
Less Repetition With AML Checks
Anyone who has recently bought or sold property will also recognise the repeated requests for identity and Anti-Money Laundering checks.
Estate agents, solicitors and other professionals may currently need to undertake their own checks, often requiring consumers to provide similar information several times.
The Government wants to support more joined-up and reusable AML checks between property professionals.
Done securely and correctly, this could remove unnecessary duplication while maintaining the safeguards required to prevent fraud and financial crime.
Better Information for Leasehold Sellers
There is also welcome attention being given to leasehold and managed-estate sales.
Delays obtaining management packs and information from freeholders, managing agents and estate managers can hold up transactions considerably.
The Government wants sellers to be able to obtain the information they need without unreasonable delays and at a reasonable cost.
For anyone who has experienced a leasehold sale becoming stuck while waiting for management information, this could make a substantial difference.
Technology and AI Will Play a Bigger Role
The future property transaction is also going to become increasingly digital.
The roadmap includes digital identity, electronic signatures, digital property information and greater use of trusted data.
The Government is also looking at how AI can appropriately support conveyancing by helping automate routine processes such as document classification, data extraction and triage while retaining human professional judgement where decisions need to be made.
Technology should not replace good estate agents, solicitors or surveyors.
Used properly, it should give those professionals better information and more time to concentrate on the parts of a transaction that require experience, judgement, negotiation and communication.
When Will These Changes Happen?
These reforms are not all happening immediately.
The Government has outlined a phased programme.
During 2026, the focus includes guidance on property information, identifying information that can voluntarily be provided upfront, a Code of Practice for agents and preparing the industry for future reforms.
During 2027–2028, the Government intends to progress areas including potential mandatory qualifications, digital ID, electronic signatures, digital logbooks, sales packs and further work on binding contracts.
By the end of this Parliament, subject to parliamentary time and legislation, the ambition includes mandatory sales packs before marketing, binding conditional contracts and digital property logbooks and packs becoming a standard part of property transactions.
What Does Zest Homes Think?
Overall, we believe the direction of travel is positive.
The property industry doesn’t simply need to sell homes faster — it needs to make the whole transaction work better.
For us, that means:
- preparing sellers properly before marketing;
- providing buyers with clear and accurate information;
- identifying issues as early as possible;
- communicating throughout the transaction;
- working closely with solicitors, surveyors, mortgage advisers and other professionals;
- embracing technology where it genuinely improves the customer experience; and
- maintaining high professional standards.
There will undoubtedly be challenges as the reforms develop, particularly around the cost and practicalities of producing information before marketing.
However, if these changes result in fewer fall-throughs, shorter transaction times and better-informed buyers and sellers, that can only be good news for the property market.
Thinking About Selling?
The changing property market means preparation is becoming increasingly important.
If you’re considering selling your home, you don’t necessarily need to wait until you’re ready to put the property online.
Talk to Zest Homes early.
We can discuss your property’s potential value, marketing strategy and the information you may need to prepare so that when the time comes to launch, you’re ready.
Zest Homes Sales & Lettings Ltd
Local knowledge. Professional experience. A modern approach to moving home.
