Government Announcement: New Rules For Moving Home - Will Buying And Selling Finally Get Easier?
New Government Property Reforms: What Could They Mean for Buyers and Sellers? The Government has announced proposals for major changes to the way homes are bought and sold in England.
New Government Property Reforms: What Could They Mean for Buyers and Sellers?
The Government has announced proposals for major changes to the way homes are bought and sold in England.
The reforms are designed to make moving home faster, provide buyers with better information and reduce the number of sales that collapse before contracts are exchanged.
The Government believes the complete package could reduce average transaction times by around four weeks and save first-time buyers approximately £650.
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, June 2026.)
These are currently proposals rather than immediate changes to the law, and they will be introduced gradually. However, the announcement gives us a clear indication of how the property market is likely to change over the coming years.
In Summary
The main proposals include:
- More information being prepared before a property is marketed
- Standardised property sales packs
- Buyers and sellers becoming legally committed earlier
- A new Code of Practice for estate agents
- Possible mandatory qualifications for estate agents
- Digital property records, identity checks and signatures
- Faster access to leasehold and managed-estate information
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, “Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap”, June 2026.)
Why Are Changes Needed?
The home-moving process in England can be slow and uncertain.
According to the Government, it currently takes around 120 days on average to complete a purchase after an offer is accepted, while approximately one in three transactions fails to reach completion.
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, June 2026.)
Sales can collapse because of surveys, mortgage difficulties or changes in personal circumstances. However, many problems arise because important information is not gathered until after a buyer has been found.
Missing planning documents, building-regulation issues, unclear service charges and incomplete property forms can all cause significant delays.
By the time these issues are discovered, buyers and sellers may already have spent money, made plans and become part of a longer property chain.
The proposed reforms are intended to identify more of these issues at the beginning.
Upfront Property Sales Packs
One of the biggest proposed changes is the introduction of a standardised property sales pack.
Sellers and their estate agents would be expected to provide important information when the property is placed on the market, rather than waiting until an offer has been accepted.
The information could include:
- Tenure and title information
- An Energy Performance Certificate
- Property searches
- A property information questionnaire
- Information about the property’s condition
- Leasehold or managed-estate charges
- Known restrictions or covenants
- The seller’s position within a property chain
- A floorplan and accessibility information
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, “Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap”, June 2026.)
For buyers, this should mean having a clearer understanding of the property before making an offer and spending money on legal work or surveys.
For sellers, it should mean attracting better-informed and more committed buyers, while reducing the chance of an unexpected problem bringing the transaction to a halt later.
Preparing the information may require more work before the property is launched, but it should create a much stronger sale once a buyer is found.
Earlier Binding Agreements
The Government also plans to explore making transactions legally binding at an earlier stage.
Under the current system in England, either the buyer or seller can normally withdraw before contracts are exchanged, often without having to compensate the other party.
The proposed system would introduce binding conditional agreements, making it more difficult for somebody to withdraw without a legitimate reason once they have committed to the transaction.
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, June 2026.)
This could offer sellers greater protection from buyers withdrawing late in the transaction.
It could also give buyers greater confidence that the property will not be sold to somebody else after their offer has been accepted.
The Government will still need to decide what counts as a valid reason for withdrawing and what financial consequences may apply.
Buyers and sellers would need protection if serious new information emerged or their circumstances changed unexpectedly.
These agreements are not expected to be introduced until the sales-pack system has been properly established.
Better Use of Digital Technology
The reforms also include a move towards digital property logbooks, reusable identity checks, electronic signatures and more connected systems.
At present, buyers and sellers are frequently asked to provide the same information to their estate agent, solicitor, mortgage adviser and lender.
A more connected system could allow trusted information to be shared securely between authorised professionals, reducing duplication and unnecessary delays.
The Government believes digital property records could also help important information remain with a home and be updated throughout its ownership.
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, “Homebuying shake-up to slash delays, cut costs and stop sales falling through”, June 2026.)
Higher Standards for Estate Agents
The Government intends to introduce a new Code of Practice for property agents and consult on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents.
At present, somebody does not legally need to hold a professional qualification before working as an estate agent in England.
The reforms aim to create clearer minimum standards and ensure agents have the knowledge required to support buyers and sellers properly.
(Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, “Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap”, June 2026.)
We welcome this.
There are many hardworking and professional estate agents who invest heavily in training, systems and the service they provide.
However, there are also agents who focus almost entirely on winning the instruction and putting the property online, without having the knowledge, preparation or resources needed to manage the transaction properly.
Some will suggest an unrealistic asking price or an exceptionally cheap fee simply to win the business. The problems often become apparent later, when the property struggles to sell or the agreed transaction begins to encounter difficulties.
Higher standards, better information and greater accountability should make it easier for sellers to distinguish between an agent who simply lists a property and one who genuinely knows how to sell it.
Good estate agents should have nothing to fear from greater professionalism.
Campbells Are Already Preparing Properties Earlier
Many of the proposed changes reflect principles that Campbells already believes in.
Finding a buyer is only one part of selling a home. A successful move requires preparation, honest advice, accurate marketing, buyer qualification, skilled negotiation and proactive sales progression.
Our Express Sale method already prepares much of the legal information earlier in the process.
Rather than waiting until after a buyer is found, searches and legal paperwork can be prepared before viewings begin. Buyers receive more information at an earlier stage, helping them make an informed offer and proceed with greater confidence.
The aim of Express Sale is to reach exchange of contracts within 28 days of an offer being accepted.
Although every property and transaction is different, the principle is straightforward:
Prepare early, identify potential problems and create greater certainty for everyone involved.
We are also continuing to strengthen the information gathered when properties are prepared for sale, including Property Information Questionnaires, identification checks, chain details and documents relating to planning, building regulations, tenure and property charges.
Training Better Estate Agents
Campbells invests heavily in training and supports associates in working towards recognised industry qualifications.
Our training covers far more than valuing and marketing property. It includes compliance, material information, property law, buyer qualification, negotiation and managing a transaction through to exchange and completion.
Qualifications alone do not automatically create a good estate agent, but proper knowledge, experience and continued development matter.
Our philosophy is to turn normal people into extraordinary estate agents: people who understand their responsibilities, give honest advice and know how to support clients throughout the complete moving process.
We do not believe the industry should wait until qualifications become compulsory before taking professional development seriously.
A Positive Change for Buyers and Sellers
There is still plenty of detail to be decided, and the reforms will need to be introduced carefully.
Upfront sales packs must be affordable, binding agreements must contain fair protections, and digital systems must be secure and accessible.
Nevertheless, the overall direction is positive.
Better preparation should mean fewer unexpected problems.
More information should help buyers make better decisions.
Earlier commitment should give buyers and sellers greater security.
Higher professional standards should also make it easier to identify the estate agents who are properly trained, prepared and capable of getting a sale through to completion.
For good estate agents, these changes are not something to fear. They are an opportunity to demonstrate the difference between simply putting a property on the internet and genuinely knowing how to sell it.
We believe that difference matters.
These proposals are being introduced in stages and most are not yet legal requirements. This information is correct as of 20 June 2026 and may change as further guidance and legislation are published.
