Upfront Property Information & the Home Buying Reform, What Sellers and Agents Need to Know

What Is the Home Buying and Selling Reform?

The UK government launched a consultation called **Home Buying and Selling Reform** in October 2025, setting out the most significant changes to the property transaction process in decades. The central proposal is that **sellers should provide comprehensive, verified property information upfront**, before a buyer makes an offer, rather than during the conveyancing process.

This is a fundamental shift. Currently, most property information is gathered after an offer is accepted, which adds weeks to transactions and causes a significant proportion of sales to fall through.

Why Is This Changing?

UK property transactions are among the slowest in the world:

• The average time from offer acceptance to completion is **22 weeks**
• Approximately **25–30% of agreed sales fall through** before completion
• Each fall-through costs sellers, buyers, agents, and solicitors thousands of pounds in wasted fees and time
• The primary cause of delays is information being gathered too late in the process

The government's position, backed by the **Law Society**, **HM Land Registry**, and the **Digital Property Market Steering Group (DPMSG)**, is that making property information available upfront can reduce transaction times and fall-through rates substantially. Moverly, one of the leading digital property pack providers, has reported that properties with a completed sale-ready pack transact in an average of **12 weeks**, 10 weeks faster than the national average.

What Is Upfront Property Information?

**Upfront property information** means that sellers (and their agents) must compile and disclose key information about a property before or at the point of listing, rather than waiting until a buyer is found and conveyancing begins.

The requirement is being implemented in stages:

**What must be disclosed at listing stage:**

• Material information (mandatory under National Trading Standards, Parts A, B, and C)
• EPC certificate (already required for marketing)
• Council tax band
• Tenure (freehold or leasehold), including ground rent and service charge for leasehold

**What forms the sale-ready pack:**

• Completed **TA6 Property Information Form** (updated March 2026 edition)
• Completed **TA10 Fittings and Contents Form**
• Office copies of title register and title plan
• Any relevant planning permissions, building regulations certificates, guarantees
• For leasehold: management pack from the freeholder/managing agent

What Is the TA6 Form?

The **TA6 Property Information Form** is the Law Society's standard questionnaire that sellers complete to disclose material facts about their property. It covers:

• Disputes and complaints involving the property
• Notices and proposals affecting the property
• Alterations, planning, and building regulations history
• Guarantees and warranties
• Insurance claims history
• Environmental matters (flooding, radon, etc.)
• Rights and informal arrangements

An updated version of the TA6 form took effect on **30 March 2026**, incorporating the National Trading Standards material information requirements. Solicitors are expected to use the new version for all transactions from that date.

What Is the Digital Property Pack?

A **digital property pack** (also called a sale-ready pack, move-ready pack, or digital deed pack) is a collection of upfront property information assembled before marketing begins. It typically includes:

• Digital copies of all title documents
• Completed TA6 and TA10 forms
• EPC certificate
• Planning history and building regulations sign-offs
• For leasehold: ground rent, service charge, and lease details
• Any relevant warranties, guarantees, and compliance certificates

Providers such as Moverly, ProConvey, and the property logbook platforms (including Property Passport UK) can help sellers assemble this pack before listing.

What Is Material Information?

**Material information** is any information that would affect a typical buyer's decision to proceed with a purchase, or affect the price they would be prepared to pay. Under National Trading Standards guidance (Parts A, B, and C), estate agents are required to disclose material information in property listings.

**Part A** (mandatory for all properties): Asking price, tenure (freehold/leasehold), council tax band.

**Part B** (mandatory where known): Physical characteristics, utilities, parking, building safety.

**Part C** (must be investigated): Flood risk, planning restrictions, rights of way, lease details (for leasehold).

Failure to disclose material information can result in Trading Standards action and, in some cases, claims for misrepresentation.

The Role of Digital Property Logbooks in Reform

The government has explicitly linked its reform agenda to digital property logbooks. A well-maintained logbook provides much of the information required for the upfront pack:

• **Official data already populated**: EPC, Land Registry title, flood risk
• **Compliance certificates**: Gas Safe, EICR, planning permissions stored in one place
• **Ownership history**: Available from Land Registry via the logbook
• **Instant sharing**: Logbook data can be shared with solicitors and agents digitally

The **Residential Logbook Association (RLBA)** and the **Open Property Data Association (OPDA)** are working with MHCLG and HMLR to create interoperability standards so that logbook data flows directly into the conveyancing process.

How Property Passport UK Helps

Property Passport UK provides a free digital property logbook that already contains much of the upfront information a seller needs:

• **Land Registry data**, tenure, title register reference
• **EPC certificate data**, energy rating, inspection date, recommendations
• **Flood risk assessment**, Environment Agency flood zone classification
• **Sold price history**, from HM Land Registry

By claiming your Property Passport before listing your home, you have a head start on assembling the upfront property information that 2026 reforms will require.

Timeline: What Changes When

What Should Sellers Do Now?

1. **Start your property logbook**, claim your Property Passport UK record and upload documents

2. **Check your EPC**, ensure it is current (valid for 10 years) and your rating is accurate

3. **Gather compliance certificates**, Gas Safe, EICR, planning permissions, building regs sign-offs

4. **Review material information**, understand what must be disclosed at listing stage

5. **Speak to your solicitor early**, discuss the TA6 form before you list, not after you accept an offer

The sellers who adapt early to upfront information requirements will be better positioned for faster, lower-risk transactions as the reform rolls out.