RICS response to the Home Buying and Selling Reform consultation

At the end of 2025, RICS responded to the UK Government consultation on reforming the home buying and selling process in England and Wales, and the material information to support consumers.

Following the publication of the proposed reforms, RICS engaged with members, industry leaders and consumer representatives to shape the response and gather insight. RICS would like to acknowledge the valuable insight provided especially by members, and we will continue to work with government as they respond to the consultation.

RICS welcomes the government’s proposals to reform the home buying and selling system and agrees that the overall direction of travel is the right one. The current process in England and Wales is too slow, uncertain and prone to fall-throughs, creating unnecessary cost and stress for consumers. Reform presents an important opportunity to improve trust, efficiency and outcomes across the property market.

Central to RICS’s response is the need for reform to be underpinned by high-quality, professional upfront information. Importantly reforms must add value for consumers, and any upfront property information and condition reports must constructively support those looking to buy and sell a property.

Earlier access to reliable legal, property and condition information has the potential to reduce late-stage surprises, limit avoidable delays and support better decision-making by buyers and sellers. However, these benefits will only be realised if upfront information is accurate, objective and delivered by competent, regulated professionals working to consistent standards.

RICS supports the principle of mandatory upfront information and agrees that this should include both property searches and a property condition report. These elements serve different but complementary purposes. Searches are often a major cause of delay and are often dependent on slow or unpredictable third-party data. Undertaking them earlier in the process could reduce overall transaction times, particularly if combined with improved digitisation and better use of property data.

Condition reports, by contrast, don’t typically delay transactions, but the result of any survey could have consequences. They play a critical role in reducing fall-throughs by identifying risks earlier in the transaction. RICS research shows that survey findings are a significant factor in transactions collapsing, highlighting the value of having reliable condition information available from the outset.

For upfront information to be effective, RICS is clear that:

• Property condition information must be professionally delivered by suitably qualified and regulated individuals.
• Reports should be proportionate, risk-based and cover the whole property.
• Reliance on data-only or agent-led assessments is not a substitute for professional judgement and risks undermining consumer confidence.
   

RICS strongly favours a whole-home condition report model, similar to those used in Scotland and other international markets. Evidence from Scotland shows that this approach supports informed decision-making, reduces uncertainty, and allows further specialist inspections to be commissioned where genuinely needed, rather than by default. It is noticeable however, that one major divergence to Scotland is the absence of a form of valuation upfront – which forms part of the current Scottish Home Report.

Successful implementation of these reforms will depend on capacity, capability and clarity. Surveyor capacity will be critical, and while many firms have told RICS they are willing to invest and scale up resource, this can only happen with certainty from government on the scope, design and timing of reforms – to avoid mistakes of past reforms.

RICS believes a minimum 24-month lead-in period will be essential to allow firms to recruit, train and invest, and to avoid unintended delays or market disruption. The impact on SMEs and sole practitioners must be carefully considered to avoid reducing choice or resilience in the sector.

Alongside surveying reform, RICS strongly supports intervention to raise standards and trust in property agency. Estate and letting agents play a central role in the consumer journey yet remain largely unregulated. RICS supports the introduction of mandatory qualifications, a Code of Practice and statutory oversight, and continues to advocate for a Designated Professional Body model as the most effective way to deliver consistent standards, enforcement and consumer protection.

RICS also supports greater digitalisation of the property market, including wider use of digital property logbooks and digital sales packs. These tools have the potential to reduce duplication, improve transparency and enable earlier access to trusted information. However, digitalisation must be underpinned by clear data standards, robust governance and professional oversight, and should enhance rather than replace professional judgement.

Finally, RICS supports exploring mechanisms to make property transactions more binding at an earlier stage, provided this is underpinned by reliable and professional upfront information. Buyers should not be legally committed without access to a professional assessment of a property’s condition. Where applied consistently and fairly, earlier binding agreements could significantly reduce fall-throughs and improve confidence for all parties.

RICS stands ready to work with government, industry and consumer groups to help deliver reforms that are practical, proportionate and capable of delivering lasting improvements to the home buying and selling process.