Harris: Support for reform
Confidence among home movers about sharing information digitally – and indeed in the home-buying process improving – is growing strongly, a report for the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has found.
Researchers also said that 58% of home movers had experienced a transaction falling through after an offer was accepted, resulting in financial loss in more than a third of cases.
Support for sharing information digitally among consumers rose from 76% to 87% since last year, while the proportion saying they believe digital property packs are a good idea increased from 82% to 86%.
A large majority of home movers (85%) feel confident that the process will improve in the next five years.
“This suggests a market increasingly ready for change, with momentum building behind efforts to modernise the home moving process and align it with the expectations of a digital-first UK.”
Censuswide gathered responses from 5,000 consumers who had bought or sold a residential property within the past five years for The Future of Homebuying 2026.
One in 10 said transactions took more than six months to complete and two-thirds said they had been “put off moving again because of the buying and selling process”.
More than three-quarters of home movers (78%) said they believed that “fundamental reform” of the homebuying process was needed.
When asked what single change would most improve it, researchers said they “overwhelmingly pointed to digitalisation, speed and transparency”.
Around four out of 10 explicitly referenced digital solutions, followed by calls for a faster process (32%) and better communication (28%).
Two-thirds of home movers said they were asked to provide the same information two or three times, while 18% said this happened four or five times.
A year on from OPDA’s first annual survey of consumers, there were “signs of improvement” in the home‑buying process, but progress was slow.
“Although this year’s respondents found the experience marginally less stressful, it is still widely seen as slow and frustrating.
“Familiar themes emerged about the challenges of buying a house – long delays, repeated requests for the same information, constant chasing for updates and challenges in communication and co-ordination between parties.
“Despite widespread headlines about delays, home movers continue to start the process without fully understanding what lies ahead.”
Maria Harris, chair of OPDA, commented: “Consumers repeatedly highlight their frustrations with challenging communication and a perceived lack of coordination between stakeholders.
“Customer sentiment is impacted by repeated requests for the same documents and delays in progressing transactions from offer acceptance to exchange of contracts. At the same time, the research shows unequivocal support for digital reform.”
TV presenter and property investor Phil Spencer added: “What stands out most is the clear gap between what consumers expect and what they experience.
“Many people reasonably expect the process to move forward smoothly once an offer has been accepted, yet the reality can involve months of uncertainty.
“At the same time, it’s clear that people are ready for change. Consumers are comfortable managing many aspects of their lives digitally, and the idea of bringing similar efficiencies to the property market is widely welcomed.”
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