Have your say: the government wants your views on improving the home moving process
Wherever you are in the UK, the government is asking for feedback on how to make buying and selling a home simpler, quicker, and more reliable.
What the consultation says
In its call for evidence, the government highlights the challenges within today’s home moving system:
They have been working with property experts to understand why the process is so complex in England and Wales, while in countries such as Norway or Australia it is more streamlined and less stressful.
Why is moving home so difficult?
Some of the key issues raised include:
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Buyers and sellers not having access to the right information early enough
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Property condition issues, such as damp or structural cracks, emerging only after an offer has been agreed
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Missing, unclear or inaccessible planning information
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Paper-based systems slowing down communication between professionals
The consultation also notes:
Previous attempts to fix the system, such as Home Information Packs, have not delivered long-term change. The government now believes that improvements are needed across the entire process, from the decision to move through to completion and beyond.
Below is a summary of the proposed changes.
Upfront property information
Currently, essential information, including searches and condition details, is often not available until an offer has been accepted. The government is exploring whether some information should be provided before a property is listed.
They propose making the following available before viewing:
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Tenure (freehold or leasehold)
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EPC
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Council tax band
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Property title
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Lease terms and service charges
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Known issues such as flood risk
As a landlord, you may have experienced situations where missing information caused delays or unexpected costs. If so, your insight could help shape what buyers should reasonably expect to know before viewing or making an offer.
Professional standards for property agents
At Your Move, our colleagues receive professional training in sales, lettings and customer service. However, there is currently no legal requirement for estate or letting agents in England to hold qualifications.
The government is considering:
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A mandatory industry-wide Code of Practice
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Compulsory qualifications for estate and letting agents
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Better consumer guidance and clearer complaints processes
If you have bought or sold through Your Move, you may have your own perspective on whether formal qualifications and clearer consumer information would improve confidence in the industry.
Digital logbooks and sale-ready packs
Unlike buying a car, where service history, repairs, and MOT details are easily accessible, homes often lack a central record of important information.
The proposal is to introduce digital property logbooks or sale-ready information packs containing items such as:
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Title details and covenants
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Gas and electrical safety certificates
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Planning permissions and building regulation approvals
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Warranties or guarantees
These could help prevent surprises later in the process and speed up the legal stages of a sale.
Binding conditional contracts
In Scotland, buyers and sellers typically commit earlier in the process. While reservation agreements exist in England, they are not widely used.
The government is asking whether:
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Reservation agreements or conditional contracts should become the expected norm
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Penalties should apply if either party withdraws without a valid reason
If you have ever experienced a fall-through, you may have views on whether early binding agreements would reduce wasted time and cost.
Consumer transparency and education
Even with the best intentions, guidance from agents, brokers, lenders, surveyors and removers can vary.
The government is exploring:
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A standardised Buying and Selling Charter to explain each stage and professional role
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Encouraging consumers to compare conveyancers and agents not only on price but on speed, service quality and local knowledge
Streamlining conveyancing
The legal process has become more complex, partly due to enhanced fraud checks and new regulations such as the Building Safety Act.
Proposed changes include:
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Simplifying Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks so buyers and sellers complete only one identity verification
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Reducing delays caused by complicated titles or managed freeholds
If you have thoughts on what would make conveyancing clearer and faster, your feedback will be valuable.
Leasehold sales reform
Although new legislation has been introduced, much of it is still awaiting implementation.
The proposals include:
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Requiring freeholders and managing agents to provide leasehold information more quickly and at regulated fees
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Reducing delays for sellers of leasehold and mixed-tenure properties
If you have ever bought or sold a leasehold property, your experience could help inform this part of the review.
Digitising property data and identity
To modernise the home moving process, the government plans to digitise more data, including:
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Secure digital identity services and e-signatures
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Digital storage and sharing of key documents
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Automated updates to property logbooks and sale packs
The goal is to reduce repetitive identity checks and avoid unnecessary paperwork.
What success could look like
The government aims to:
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Improve professional standards and consumer understanding
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Provide clearer, faster property information
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Reduce the number of fall-throughs
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Build greater trust and confidence in the home moving process
What do you think the government should do?
As a landlord, you are essentially a professional home mover. Your experience is invaluable in shaping future reforms.
Please share your views on the proposals, and any ideas you have that would make buying and selling easier, quicker and more transparent.
The consultation runs for 12 weeks from 6 October to 29 December 2025.
Make sure to have your say, your feedback really can influence change.
The Your Move Content Marketing Team
