Almost four in five property professionals are confident that moves to improve the homebuying and selling process will result in positive change for the industry and consumers, Countrywide Surveying Services (CSS) has found.

The firm’s latest webinar poll found that 77% of respondents were positive about the impact of proposed reforms, with 18% very confident and 59% somewhat confident.

Just 21% said they were not very confident and 2% believe the changes will never happen.

The findings came during the webinar, ‘Is upfront property information the reform that the homebuying process has been waiting for?’, with discussions focusing on the practical implications of upfront property information and what reform could look like across the homebuying process.

Webinar attendees were also asked whether Andy Burnham’s appointment as PM made it more or less likely that positive change would be seen in the UK housing market.

Over a third (36%) felt it made this more likely, compared to 16% who thought it less likely. However, almost half (48%) said it made no difference.

Managing director at CSS, Matthew Cumber, stated: "What these findings suggest to me is that the debate has moved on. There seems to be broad acceptance that the homebuying process can work better, but the more important question now is how we turn that ambition into something that makes a genuine difference to transactions.

"Upfront property information, including condition reports are a good example. Simply moving existing checks or documents to an earlier point in the process will only get us so far. The greater opportunity lies in making sure useful information is available early enough, in a format that can be shared and relied upon by the different parties involved, rather than repeatedly requested as a transaction progresses.


"That requires lenders, surveyors, conveyancers, estate agents, brokers and technology providers to think about the process as a whole rather than improving individual parts in isolation. If reform can achieve that, there is a real opportunity to reduce avoidable delays while giving buyers greater clarity about the property they are purchasing."

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