Government to digitalise property data to improve homebuying process

Under reforms announced yesterday, key property information will be digitised and shared more easily between conveyancers, lenders and other professionals involved in property transactions. The move seeks to address the £400m annual cost to homebuyers from failed transactions, which affect one in three purchases. 

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said: “We are streamlining the cumbersome home buying process so that it is fit for the twenty-first century, helping homebuyers save money, gain time and reduce stress while also cutting the number of house sales that fall through." 

Currently, building control and highways information largely remains paper-based or in non-machine-readable formats.  

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is launching a 12-week project to establish data-sharing protocols across the sector, while HM Land Registry will run 10-month pilots with councils to digitalise property information. 

The government aims to replicate successes seen in countries like Norway, where property transactions typically complete within one month. The reforms will enable immediate access to essential property information and streamline identity verification processes. 

The initiatives form part of the government’s Plan for Change, which targets delivery of 1.5 million homes during this Parliament. Implementation will be overseen by the Digital Property Market Steering Group, comprising industry and government experts. 

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