UK home buying reforms ‘to save buyers £100s and cut purchase time by a month’

The time it takes to buy a house will be slashed by around four weeks, buyers will save money and fewer sales will fall down, says the government under plans published today to reform home buying and selling in the UK. We drill into the detail.

June 19, 2026

uk home buying selling reforms

KEY INFORMATION

UK home buying and selling reforms at a glance

  • Buying and selling a home will become faster, cheaper, and less stressful, according to the government under major reforms announced today, which aim to cut delays, reduce and digitalise paperwork, and stop sales collapsing.
  • New sales packs to make sure buyers have the information they need upfront, earlier binding agreements, and digital tools will halve the number of sales that fall through, saving millions of pounds spent by prospective buyers and reducing stress for buyers and sellers, it says.
  • The reforms will cut buying times by around four weeks and save first time buyers an average of £650, according to the government.

How the reforms will work

Under the home buying and selling reforms, ‘sales packs’ that provide key information will have to be provided by sellers and estate agents when a property is listed.

These packs would include comprehensive property information, including:

The aim is to make it easier for buyers to make informed decisions, as well as speeding up the buying process.

Binding agreements

The changes will also see new, earlier binding agreements being introduced, for example, once an offer is accepted, to ‘stop parties walking away months into negotiations without a legitimate reason’.

These binding conditional contracts would set out clear terms both sides agree to meet and if a party breaks these terms by withdrawing without valid reason or failing to meet their obligations, they would face a financial penalty.

In addition, a new Code of Practice will raise standards for estate agents, alongside proposals for mandatory qualifications for the sector.

A shift to digital

A key part of the UK house buying and selling reforms is a major shift to digital – replacing the outdated paper-based systems with faster, more reliable tools, the government says.

  • Digital property logbooks and sales packs will mean information can be shared securely between professionals and accessed by buyers and sellers in real-time, cutting out the back-and-forth that causes so many delays.
  • Digital identity checks, electronic signatures and AI-assisted conveyancing to strip out duplication, reduce fraud risk and accelerate transactions from start to finish, are also proposed.

As it stands, the average home purchase takes around 120 days, with one in three sales falling through costing sellers around £400 million per year.

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UK home buying and selling reform timeline

A full roadmap will be implemented across the rest of the Parliament. This includes:

  • Later this year: a Code of Practice to set out minimum standards for property agents and guidance to improve the quality of information in property listings.
  • From 2027: consultation on estate agent qualifications and expanded digital tools.
  • By the end of Parliament: comprehensive legislation to require sales packs, binding contracts, and digital systems that support the efficient sharing of trusted digital property information.

Our view on UK home buying and selling reform

Paula Higgins, CEO of HomeOwners Alliance said: ““Buying and selling a home remains one of life’s most stressful experiences, despite being the biggest financial transaction most people ever make. These reforms have the potential to bring the process into the 21st century.”

“Providing more information upfront, raising standards and embracing digital solutions should help reduce delays, fall-throughs, unnecessary costs and frustration for consumers. HomeOwners Alliance welcomes the government’s ambition and urges ministers to maintain momentum so buyers and sellers start to see real improvements as quickly as possible.”

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Rebecca Gamble Consumer Journalist

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