Published September 2026
Buying or selling a home in England could look very different over the next few years.
The government has published a new roadmap for reforming the home buying and selling process, with the aim of giving buyers more information earlier, reducing delays and making transactions less likely to collapse.
For homeowners thinking about selling in Devon or Cornwall, some of the biggest proposed changes concern upfront property information, sales packs, digital records and earlier commitment between buyers and sellers. GOV.UK
Why is the sales process changing?
According to the government, a residential property transaction currently takes around 120 days on average after an offer is accepted, while approximately one in three transactions falls through.
The reform programme is intended to make transactions more transparent and predictable by moving much of the information gathering to an earlier stage. GOV.UK
For sellers, that could mean doing more preparation before or around the time the property goes onto the market, rather than waiting until a buyer has been found.
1. More property information upfront
One of the most important changes is the move towards buyers receiving significantly more information about a property earlier in the process.
The government is working with the property industry during 2026 to identify information that can be voluntarily provided upfront through a sales pack. It also intends to improve guidance for estate agents about information that should appear in property listings. GOV.UK
This could include information covering matters such as tenure, property condition, searches and other details that may influence a buyer’s decision.
The intention is straightforward: uncover important information before a transaction is several weeks or months down the line.
2. Sales packs could eventually become mandatory
The longer-term plan goes considerably further.
When parliamentary time allows, the government intends to introduce legislation requiring a sales pack to be prepared before a property is listed for sale.
The roadmap says these packs are expected to include searches and a property condition report. GOV.UK
That could significantly change how sellers prepare their homes for the market.
Instead of:
List property → accept offer → begin gathering information
the future process could increasingly become:
Prepare property information → list property → buyer reviews information → offer → progress sale
This is not yet a general legal requirement, but sellers are likely to hear much more about sale-ready information and digital property packs as the reforms develop.
3. Buyers and sellers could become committed earlier
Another major proposed change concerns the point at which a transaction becomes binding.
At present in England, either party can generally withdraw before exchange of contracts, subject to any separate agreement between them.
The government’s longer-term plan is to introduce binding conditional contracts once the sales-pack system has been established. These would create greater commitment earlier in the transaction while still allowing withdrawal in specified legitimate circumstances. GOV.UK
The government has said it will work with the industry on issues including potential penalty structures, exceptions and dispute-resolution arrangements before legislation is introduced.
Importantly, it has also said buyers and sellers will not be required to enter into binding conditional contracts until the upfront sales-pack system has been tested and embedded. GOV.UK
4. Reservation agreements may become more familiar
Before compulsory binding contracts arrive, buyers and sellers may increasingly encounter voluntary reservation agreements.
These are agreements designed to demonstrate that both parties intend to proceed with the transaction, potentially with consequences where somebody withdraws without an agreed reason.
The government published further research into reservation agreements on 8 September 2026 and is working with the property industry to build awareness of their potential use. GOV.UK
They are not currently compulsory for ordinary residential property transactions.
5. More of the transaction is likely to become digital
Property sales are also moving towards a more connected digital process.
The roadmap includes plans for wider adoption of:
- digital property logbooks
- digital sales packs
- digital identity verification
- Qualified Electronic Signatures
- common property-data standards
- improved sharing of information between estate agents, conveyancers and lenders
The government intends to work with the sector on these technologies during 2027 and 2028, with legislation ultimately intended to make digital packs and logbooks a standard part of property transactions. GOV.UK
A property logbook could effectively become a digital record that stays with the property and makes important information easier to access when the owner eventually decides to sell.
6. Estate agency standards are changing too
The reforms are not solely about paperwork.
During 2026 the government intends to publish a non-statutory Code of Practice for property agents.
The roadmap then proposes a consultation during 2027–2028 on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents. Any compulsory qualification requirement would require further steps before becoming law. GOV.UK
For consumers, the direction of travel is towards greater consistency in professional standards as well as a more transparent transaction.
What does this mean if you’re selling now?
There is no reason to delay putting a property onto the market simply because these reforms are coming.
Most of the major structural changes — including mandatory sales packs and binding conditional contracts — are future measures rather than requirements applying to every seller today. GOV.UK
However, the direction is clear: sellers are increasingly going to benefit from being sale-ready before marketing begins.
At Atlantic Keys, we believe that already makes practical sense.
Getting documents, ownership information and known property details organised early can help an estate agent and conveyancer identify potential issues sooner and reduce avoidable delays once a buyer is found.
Preparing to sell in Devon or Cornwall?
Atlantic Keys is an independent estate and letting agency based in Plymouth, covering Devon and Cornwall.
If you’re considering selling, we can talk you through preparing your property for the market, marketing strategy and the sales process from valuation through to completion.
Thinking of selling?
Contact Atlantic Keys Ltd
01752 921700
hello@atlantic-keys.co.uk