The Conveyancing Association backs Select Committee recommendations to push home buying and selling process reform

07 May 2026

The Conveyancing Association (CA), the leading representative body for the conveyancing industry, has today (7th May 2026) welcomed a number of recommendations from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee aimed at improving the home buying and selling process.

The trade body said most of the Committee’s recommendations reflect long-standing industry concerns around delays, failed transactions and rising costs, and provide a clear route towards a more efficient and reliable system for consumers.

The Committee’s findings – highlighted in a letter sent to the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycock - look at the scale of the issue, describing the current process as slow, costly and a barrier to movement within the housing market, with knock-on effects for supply, affordability and the economy as a whole.

The CA has pointed, in particular, to the Committee’s support for upfront property information, which it said is critical to improving transaction speed and reducing failure rates. It said that, by ensuring key information is available at the point a property is listed, buyers, mortgage brokers, lenders, valuers and conveyancers are able to make informed decisions far earlier in the process, avoiding duplication, late-stage issues and unnecessary delay.

The CA noted a lack of consistent, reliable upfront data remains one of the biggest causes of friction in the system, often leading to transactions stalling or collapsing after significant time and cost has already been incurred.

Alongside this, the Association backed calls for stronger regulation of estate agents, including the introduction of a Code of Practice and mandatory qualifications, to ensure higher and more consistent standards across the sector. It said improving professionalism and accountability among agents would play an important role in ensuring material information is provided correctly and at the right stage of the transaction. It would create a level playing field for the good estate agents who comply with the law and those who do not even know the law applies to them.

The CA also highlighted the wider impact of the current system on consumer behaviour, noting complexity, delays and uncertainty are discouraging people from moving, particularly those looking to downsize or first time buyers looking to get on the property ladder. This, it said, was restricting the flow of properties and reducing overall market activity at a time when increasing supply is a key priority.

The Association believes a more efficient and transparent process would support greater mobility, helping to free up housing stock and improve access across all parts of the market.

The CA also pointed to the Government’s consultation on improving the home buying and selling process, which closed in December 2025, and said there is now an urgent need for clarity on next steps.

It noted the consultation brought together a wide range of proposals, many of which align closely with the Committee’s recommendations, and the industry was now seeking a clear plan from Government for implementation.

Beth Rudolf, Director of Delivery at the Conveyancing Association, said:

“A number of these recommendations from the Select Committee recognise the reality of the current system and the impact it is having on consumers, conveyancing firms and the wider housing market. There is a clear need to reduce delays, cut fall-throughs and improve certainty, and many of the measures outlined here would help achieve exactly that.

“Upfront information, including searches, is essential. If buyers and lenders have the data they need from the outset, we can remove a significant amount of delay and uncertainty from the process. This is the foundation for any further reform and must be implemented effectively and consistently across the market.

“Improving standards across the market is key. Consumers should be able to trust the information they are given is accurate, complete and provided at the right time. A clear framework for estate agents, supported by proper oversight, would help create a more consistent experience for everyone involved in the transaction.

“These issues go beyond individual transactions. The way the system currently operates is holding back movement across the housing market. If we can reduce friction and improve certainty, we can support more people to move when they need to, which benefits the entire market.

“The industry has engaged fully with the consultation process and we await the roadmap for implementation. While it is vital Government now sets out how and when these reforms will be delivered, all of the solutions are already available to sellers and buyers as well the property industry today, we just need to grasp the nettle and get on with it.

“There is clear alignment across the industry on what needs to change. The focus now has to be on delivery. We stand ready to support Government in implementing reforms that will create a faster, more certain and more cost-effective home buying and selling process.”

The Select Committee letter can be viewed here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/17/housing-communities-and-local-government-committee/news/213378/make-home-buying-easier-housing-committee-chair-calls-on-the-government-to-reduce-delays-and-lower-costs/