22/06/2026
The housing market function is the bedrock of the British Economy. If we can fix housing, it fixes so many other problems.
The government's plans for the housing market, however well intended, reveal a lack of understanding of how markets work and will hurt liquidity, reducing choice for buyers, and may push prices up.
Make seller's packs attractive, make them worthwhile. Don't hold a gun to seller's heads and force them. They already have enough going against them to sell, with overvaluing, uncertainty, gazundering and stamp duty. Mandatory packs before coming to market would make it worse.
But, at the point a deal is agreed, that is absolutely the time that a seller must stand by what is being sold, provide all the information in a prompt and timely manner, and have no certainty of sale until that's done.
At the point the seller has provided everything required, then the buyer must be on the hook and be unable to back out without penalty.
Legislate to lock the deals in place once they're agreed, absolutely. That will help, without killing market liquidity first.
Mandating sellers packs is impractical and, to anyone who understands how markets work (ie not government) self-defeating.
