29/09/2026
π π¬π§ γBuying a Property in England Taking Months to Complete? The Government Is Finally Taking Action!γ
Anyone who has bought a property in England will probably understand the painβ¦
From Offer Accepted β Solicitor β Searches β Mortgage β Exchange β Completion, the whole process can sometimes feel like it takes forever! π΅βπ«
The governmentβs new Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap aims to tackle some of these long-standing problems.
π How long does it currently take?
According to government data, the average transaction in England takes around 120 days from offer acceptance to completion, with around one-third of transactions falling through.
So what could change? π
πΉ 1οΈβ£ Sales Pack Before Marketing
The government plans to encourage more complete property information to be prepared earlier β potentially including searches and property condition information β so buyers can identify issues sooner.
πΉ 2οΈβ£ Earlier Binding of Transactions
Plans include binding conditional contracts, which could reduce the chances of buyers or sellers pulling out later in the process and disrupting the whole property chain.
πΉ 3οΈβ£ Digital Property Logbook π»
Property information could become more digital and easier to share between buyers, sellers, estate agents and solicitors β reducing duplicated searches and paperwork.
πΉ 4οΈβ£ Higher Standards for Estate Agents
The government plans to introduce a Code of Practice, with consultation on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents planned for 2027.
πΉ 5οΈβ£ AI + Digital Conveyancing π€
The roadmap also looks at using AI and digital technology for parts of the conveyancing process, such as organising documents and information, with the aim of reducing administrative delays.
β οΈ But there's an important pointβ¦
These reforms will NOT all happen immediately.
The roadmap is expected to be phased:
π 2026: Guidance, Code of Practice and preparation for Sales Packs
π 2027β2028: Consultation on qualifications, Digital ID and Digital Property Logbooks
π Later: Potential legislation for Sales Packs and more binding transaction arrangements
π¬ For buyers, sellers and estate agents, the big questions are:
π Will these reforms actually reduce completion times?
π Could they reduce the number of sales falling through?
π Will sellers face more costs and preparation before putting a property on the market?
If implemented, these changes could significantly alter the way property transactions work in England.
π₯ Want to know how these reforms could affect you when buying or selling a property? Check out the video for more!
π What part of buying a property do you find the most frustrating?
Solicitors? Searches? Mortgage? Or the dreaded property chain? π΅βπ«