Committee publication · Correspondence · 16 July 2026
Letter from the Minister of State for Housing and Planning and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government to the Chair dated 13 July 2026 concerning the home buying and selling process
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Inquiry: Affordability of Home Ownership
Summary
Government response to the Housing Committee's inquiry into home buying and selling affordability. Ministers accept the Committee's findings that the current process is problematic and outline a phased reform roadmap announced 19 June 2026, including mandatory sales packs, binding conditional contracts, agent professionalization, and digital modernization. Reforms aim to save first-time buyers £200m annually and accelerate transactions by four weeks.
Key findings
- Government agrees current buying/selling process is 'a painful experience' causing unnecessary costs and failed transactions, justifying fundamental reform
- Roadmap commits to mandatory pre-listing sales packs with search results and property condition reports to provide upfront buyer information
- Binding conditional contracts required (after sales pack embedding) with proportionate penalty frameworks and legitimate withdrawal exceptions
- Estate agent professionalization via non-statutory Code of Practice this year and mandatory qualifications consultation next year; independent regulator approach still under consideration
- Digital modernization programme including digital property logbooks, Smart Data scheme consultation, and qualified electronic signatures to replace paper processes
Government position
Government partially accepts. It accepts the Committee's diagnosis and core recommendations but implements them on a modified timeline and with qualifications. On sales packs: accepted with phased approach. On binding contracts: accepted but deferred until sales packs embedded and with carve-outs for legitimate withdrawal. On agent regulation: accepts need for Code of Practice and mandatory qualifications but stops short of confirming independent regulator—states this is 'a significant undertaking' requiring further proposals during this Parliament. Emphasizes lessons from failed Home Information Packs reform and commitment to industry collaboration.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Matthew Pennycook MP, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Florence Eshalomi MP, Lord Best, HM Land Registry, Propertymark
Notable line
“This comes at a pivotal moment as we published our response to the Home Buying and Selling Reform consultation and the Material Information in Property …”
Key Quotes
“We agree with your conclusion that the current buying and selling process is a painful experience. There is a clear case for change.”
“Benefits include an acceleration of homebuying times by around four weeks and a saving of £650 on average for first time buyers.”
“Our reforms will create a system that is more streamlined, less stressful and fit for the future.”
“Those reforms were criticised for being costly, overly complex, and were introduced in a largely paper-based environment without the necessary degree of industry collaboration.”
“As the Committee will appreciate, creating a new independent regulatory body is a significant undertaking.”
“Taken together, these measures represent a once-in-a-generation programme of reform to create a housing market that works better for all and supports more people …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗