The Government has announced major changes to how homes are bought and sold in England. Here’s what it means for buyers – and why buying a new build from an established developer puts you ahead of the curve.
The Quick Answer
The Government announced on 19 June 2026 that it is reforming the homebuying process in England. Key changes include upfront sales packs from sellers, earlier legally binding agreements, new professional standards for estate agents, and a major shift to digital tools. The reforms aim to cut average buying times by around four weeks and save first-time buyers an average of £650. Most changes will be phased in between now and the end of this Parliament.
If you’ve ever bought – or tried to buy – a home in England, you’ll know how it can feel. Months of waiting. Paperwork that seems to double every week. And the nagging worry that the whole thing could fall apart at any moment, for reasons entirely outside your control.
The Government has heard that frustration. On 19 June 2026, it announced one of the most significant shake-ups to the homebuying process in a generation. The aim: to make buying a home faster, cheaper, and far less stressful.
Here’s what’s changing – and what it means if you’re thinking about buying a new Broadgate home.
What exactly is the Government proposing?
The reforms cover four main areas: upfront sales packs, earlier binding agreements, new professional standards for estate agents, and a wider shift to digital tools across the whole process. www
Upfront sales packs
Sellers and their estate agents will be required to provide a sales pack at the point of listing — setting out the home’s condition, any leasehold costs, and where it sits in any property chain, so buyers have the essential details before making an offer rather than weeks into the process. rightmove
Earlier binding agreements
One of the more significant proposals is the introduction of earlier binding agreements. Currently, buyers and sellers can withdraw from a transaction at any point up until contracts are exchanged, often with limited consequences. The proposed change would introduce a mechanism to make the process legally binding at an earlier stage. rightmove
New standards for estate agents
The reforms include proposals for a new Code of Practice for estate agents, setting out clearer professional standards, alongside proposals for mandatory qualifications for people working as estate agents — a significant change, since there is currently no legal requirement in England to hold a professional qualification before practising. rightmove
A digital overhaul
At the heart of the reforms is a major shift away from paper-based systems. Digital property logbooks, digital identity checks, electronic signatures and AI-assisted conveyancing are all proposed — with the aim of creating a modern, end-to-end system where people can track and progress their move more easily. www
Will these changes actually make a difference?
The scale of the problem they’re trying to solve is significant. With the average home purchase taking around 120 days, one in three sales falling through, and failed transactions costing the economy up to £1.5 billion every year, the current system is widely acknowledged as broken. Rightmove’s own data puts the average even higher — around 170 days to complete a transaction, with over one in five sales initially falling through. wwwrightmove
The Government estimates that the reforms will cut buying times by around four weeks, save first-time buyers an average of £650, and halve the number of sales that fall through. www
International examples suggest reform can deliver real results. The Netherlands uses a live tracking system for buyers and sellers that contributes to an average completion time of around 20 days, while Norway’s efforts to streamline and digitalise its process have been estimated to deliver savings of up to £1.4 billion over ten years. rightmove
It’s worth noting that most of these changes will be phased in gradually. A new Code of Practice for estate agents is expected later this year. Consultation on agent qualifications and expanded digital tools is planned from 2027. The full legislation requiring sales packs, binding contracts and digital systems is expected by the end of this Parliament. So the biggest benefits are still to come — but the direction of travel is clear. www
Does this affect buying a new build?
This is where it gets interesting for anyone considering a new home.
Many of the problems these reforms are designed to solve — unclear property information, hidden condition issues, complex chains — are problems that new builds already largely avoid.
When you buy a new Broadgate home, there’s no chain. No previous owner has left undisclosed issues for a surveyor to unearth. The specification is clear from day one. And because Broadgate has been building homes in Lincolnshire since 1976, the processes, documentation and communication that underpin each sale are well established.
In short: the reforms are bringing the rest of the market closer to how buying a new build already works.
That said, the digital improvements — faster identity checks, electronic signatures, better information sharing — will benefit new build buyers too, smoothing out the administrative stages that can still cause delays even when everything else is straightforward.
What does this mean if I’m buying now?
If you’re currently weighing up whether to proceed with a purchase, the direction of these reforms is encouraging. The Government has signalled clearly that it wants to make the process faster and more certain — which is good news for buyers at every stage.
But it’s also worth remembering that the most significant legislative changes are still a few years away. If you’re ready to buy now, waiting for the reforms to fully bed in isn’t necessarily the answer — particularly if the home you want is available today.
At Broadgate Homes, we’re here to make the buying process as straightforward as possible right now, not just when the legislation catches up. Our sales team will guide you through every step, from reservation to the day you collect your keys.
Ready to take the next step?
Gleaneagles Drive & The Furlongs at Holland Park currently has a range of 2–5 bedroom homes available. To find out more or arrange a viewing:
