Brokers will 'rise to the challenge' as housing reforms echo Scotland

Mortgage brokers have broadly welcomed the government’s proposed overhaul of the homebuying process, but many note that England and Wales are only now moving toward the system Scotland has used successfully for more than a decade.

Under the consultation published this week, sellers and estate agents would be required to provide detailed property information before a sale is agreed, including condition reports, leasehold details and chain data. Ministers claim the measures will cut transaction times by up to four weeks and reduce the high proportion of deals that fall through at the last moment.

Catching up with the Scots

For professionals who work north of the border, the plans sound familiar. Scotland’s Home Report system introduced in 2008, already obliges sellers to provide a survey, valuation and energy certificate before listing. As a result, average completion times there are roughly six to eight weeks, compared with more than four months in England and Wales.

Carolyn Dunion of McKendry Dunion says that experience should reassure brokers and buyers alike. “After an initial bedding-in period I would say it is one of the best parts of the Scottish house buying system,” she said. “Nothing is without issue but it does give important information that avoids a lot of issues before they have the chance to arise. I am sure it would benefit the English system in the same way. Upfront clarity is never a bad thing.”

She adds that Scotland’s version has not deterred buyers or complicated price negotiations. “We have also not seen it impact on sales negotiations negatively,” she notes, suggesting that the English market’s fears of higher costs may be misplaced.

Operational change for brokers

While the concept of greater transparency is widely supported, brokers expect significant operational change if legally binding agreements are introduced earlier in the process. Faster timelines will require closer coordination between intermediaries, conveyancers, lenders and estate agents.

Jeni Browne of Mortgage Finance Brokers said there “isn’t a broker in the land who would not celebrate the prospect of quicker purchases and fewer failed transactions,” but she acknowledges that the shift will demand a different working rhythm. To make the reforms effective, she said, brokers will need “tighter co-ordination with all parties to reflect the change in pace, especially if legally binding contracts were to be in place earlier”. Even so, Browne added that most advisers “would be delighted to rise to the challenge.”

Browne’s optimism reflects a wider view that brokers could benefit if a more predictable timetable reduces wasted effort on collapsed cases. Yet many warn that the supporting infrastructure, particularly in conveyancing and local-authority search systems, must be ready to keep pace with any legislative shift.

Mindset and technology

Dunion says Scotland’s experience also underlines the importance of industry culture. “Assuming there are no tricky details, it should be an easy transition,” she said. “But the change of mindset can understandably take the industry a while to adapt to.”

She points out that the Scottish market already operates with integrated digital tools such as ScotLIS, a single source for title and property data. “Our usual method of communicating is as fast as it needs to be,” she said. “The upfront ‘home report’ style system just makes sure all parties have access to the information before a buyer even steps through the door, and that is to be welcomed.”

Brokers in England and Wales will be watching how data-sharing proposals evolve under the reforms. The government has pledged to promote interoperability between the Land Registry, local authorities and lenders to reduce duplication, but details on timelines and funding remain sparse.

Balancing ambition with delivery

Analysts say Scotland’s model owes its success to a unified legal framework and standardised documentation. Replicating that efficiency south of the border may prove challenging given the patchwork of conveyancing practices and regional variations in search procedures.

Even so, brokers agree that the direction of travel is right. The prospect of greater certainty and fewer failed transactions is widely seen as good for both clients and intermediaries, provided the reforms are implemented with adequate lead-time and support.

The consultation runs until December, with a full roadmap expected early in 2026. For now, advisers are encouraged to prepare for tighter coordination and potentially shorter completion windows.

Sidebar: How England’s Proposed Reforms Stack Up Against Scotland’s System

England and Wales are now moving toward a system long established in Scotland, where mandatory upfront information and faster legal binding have already reduced delays and fall-throughs.