Episode 19: Homebuying and selling reforms – can we fix a broken system?

Episode 19

Overview

Buying a home is one of life’s most significant milestones. Yet in England, the process is widely seen as slow, opaque and prone to collapse at the final hurdle.

In this episode of BE Sustainable, we examine the UK Government’s proposed reforms to the homebuying and selling system in England. The changes aim to reduce delays, minimise fall-throughs and rebuild confidence in a process that has struggled to keep pace with modern expectations.

At the centre of the debate is conveyancing – the legal transfer of property ownership. Often blamed for delays, conveyancing is also one of the least understood parts of the process.

The discussion considers the role of upfront property information, including the proposed ‘property passport’, and questions who will bear the additional costs.

It also examines how increased regulation, compliance requirements and growing workloads have transformed conveyancing, highlighting the structural and practical challenges involved in modern property transactions.

Bringing together academic insight, legal expertise and lived experience, the episode explores whether reform can genuinely improve the system, or whether deeper structural and technological changes are needed.

Drawing on his academic research and recent analysis of the proposed reforms, Jordan Turner explores the structural realities behind modern property transactions. From a legal and frontline perspective, Luke McMath from Blandy & Blandy solicitors offers insight into the operational pressures faced by conveyancers. Providing a lived perspective, Katie Napier reflected on her experience as a first-time buyer completing on a property in late 2025.