Government announces major homebuying reforms: What changes for buyers?

For those who have been running on the unpredictable treadmill of buying a new home, you will already be aware of the length of time that things seem to take - often with nothing connected with the purchase appearing to be worked on as the days stretch into weeks and even months.

The financial commitment and the levels of stress that are often part and parcel of the whole experience shouldn't be ignored, particularly when something that happens that causes a transaction to be brought to a shuddering halt.

Whether it's the details that come with a condition survey that palls the interest of the buyer, or something else coming to light that wasn't clear before entering into an agreement with the seller, the stress of starting again with another property can feel like scaling a mountain. And the loss of money in the process potentially makes the idea of restarting the search for another home quite overwhelming.

The Government estimates that the cost to the economy of these fall-throughs is in the region of £1.5 billion annually, which has given them the impetus to announce several planned reforms to the homebuying process.

The proposals (announced on 6 October 2025) are intended to give the buyer greater confidence not only in the property they have opted to buy but in the process by shortening it by several weeks. The added attraction is that, not only will the Government receive greater sums of revenue, but they say families and first-time buyers will financially benefit by several hundred pounds.

The reforms published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government mean that sellers and estate agents will be required to provide a lot more information up front to the buyer, crucially including:

• Property condition survey - transferring responsibility from buyer to seller
• Estate agents' and conveyancers' track records
• Details of their expertise and Code of Practice
• Binding contracts to prevent last-minute withdrawals

This eliminates the situation where successive buyers have to repeat condition surveys, saving both time and money.

As Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, said when announcing the proposals:

"Buying a home should be a dream, not a nightmare. Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives. Through our Plan for Change we are putting more money back into working people's pockets and making a simple dream a simple reality."

Rightmove CEO Johan Svanstrom said:

"We welcome the announcement today aiming to drive forward that much needed change and modernisation. The development of technology means transformation is possible, with the right collaboration and considerate planning. The home-moving process involves many fragmented parts, and there's simply too much uncertainty and costs along the way."

Paul Whitehead, CEO at Zoopla, added:

"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. Introducing legally binding contracts alongside better use of digital solutions has the potential to unlock significant demand and reduce failed transactions."

The Government plans to provide a roadmap detailing how these measures will be achieved in the new year, and we will be watching developments as they are announced.

Having confidence in what the survey report details about the condition of your home, regardless of its age, is an important part of the process. You need to ensure you are clear on what the chartered surveyor will be looking for and, crucially, how they will define issues and verify the problem.

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