Announced on Friday, June 19, the UK Government’s Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap promises to make buying and selling homes less stressful and more efficient, with changes that could reduce the length of a typical property sale by around four weeks.
The plans, which will apply to North Wales and the rest of England and Wales, have been welcomed by Cavendish, which has offices in Mold, Ruthin, and Chester.
David Adams, managing director of Cavendish, said: “The Government’s reform roadmap is a significant step forward for home buyers and sellers across England and Wales.
“At Cavendish, we have long believed that preparation before launch is the foundation of every successful sale.
“Upfront searches, property condition reports and legal readiness are not new ideas, they are simply best practice.
“Making them mandatory levels the playing field and protects sellers from the delays, fall-throughs and lost momentum that poor preparation so often causes.”
A key element of the reforms will be the introduction of mandatory “sales packs” containing essential information about a property, such as its condition and leasehold details, at the point of listing.
The aim is to prevent critical issues from emerging only after an offer has been accepted, which often leads to delays, extra costs, or collapsed sales.
Although these packs won’t be required immediately, the Government is encouraging the industry to begin including items like Energy Performance Certificates, flood risk, and council tax bands on a voluntary basis.
Other changes set out in the roadmap include plans to improve standards in the industry.
A non-statutory Code of Practice for property agents will be published later this year, and a consultation on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents is scheduled for 2027.
The roadmap also calls for greater digitalisation of the property market through tools like digital property logbooks, which will make it easier to share information in real time and speed up the conveyancing process.
To help homeowners and sellers understand the changes, Cavendish is hosting a free event on Monday, June 22 at Storyhouse.
Titled “SOLD. How to sell faster, achieve a higher price and reduce the risk of fall-throughs,” the event will run from 6.30pm to 8pm and will feature expert commentary on the reforms.
The panel of speakers includes Lisa Aston, a conveyancer with Oliver & Co, financial adviser Wayne Musker of Financial Fortress, chartered surveyor Gavin Floyd of Dee Surveys, and Emily Pickering, a sales progressor with Cavendish.
The event coincides with the launch of The Seller’s Playbook, written by Mr Adams.
