Nearly four in five homebuyers and sellers believe the property transaction process in England and Wales requires fundamental reform, research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) reveals.
The findings come from OPDA’s Future of Homebuying Report 2026, which surveyed more than 5,000 people who have bought or sold a property during the last five years and paints a picture of a system still plagued by delays, poor communication and duplicated requests for information.
More than half of respondents (58%) said they had experienced a property transaction falling through after an offer had been accepted, costing an average of three months, while one in ten reported that their move took more than six months to complete.
The report also found that 43% of respondents said chasing updates and waiting for responses slowed transactions down, while 30% identified the time taken to exchange contracts as the most challenging aspect of moving home.
FRUSTRATED HOMEBUYERS
Repeated requests for information remain a significant source of frustration. Almost two-thirds (64%) said they had been asked to provide the same information two or three times during the transaction process, while 18% had to supply the same details four or five times.
Despite these challenges, consumers remain optimistic about the future. The report found that 85% believe the homebuying and selling process will improve over the next five years, with many supporting greater use of digital technology and upfront property information.
“This research should serve as a wake-up call.”
Maria Harris (main picture), Chair of the Open Property Data Association, says: “This research should serve as a wake-up call. Consumers are telling us loud and clear that the current homebuying process is no longer fit for purpose.
“Despite advances in technology transforming almost every aspect of our lives, buying and selling a home remains slow, fragmented and unnecessarily stressful.
“What’s particularly striking is that people aren’t just frustrated – they know what the solution looks like.
“Support for digital property packs is overwhelming.”
“Support for digital property packs is overwhelming and confidence in sharing information digitally continues to grow.
“Consumers want a system that provides upfront information, reduces duplication and gives them greater transparency and certainty throughout the transaction.
TRUST FRAMEWORKS
She adds: “The industry has made significant progress in developing the standards, trust frameworks and technology needed to support a modern property market.
“The Data (Use and Access) Act and the Government’s Smart Data ambitions provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the home moving process.
“The question is no longer whether reform is needed, but how quickly it can be delivered. Government must maintain the momentum behind digital transformation and work with industry to create a faster, more transparent and more resilient housing market that works better for everyone.”
OPDA is calling on Government to accelerate the adoption of digital property packs, support trusted data-sharing frameworks and help deliver a fully digitised end-to-end homebuying process.
The organisation brings together lenders, brokers, conveyancers, estate agents, proptech firms and government bodies to develop the standards and frameworks required to modernise property transactions and reduce delays across the housing market.
