The conveyancing system itself is not fundamentally broken but requires targeted reform, according to legal professionals responding to the Government’s consultation on the home buying and selling process.

The Conveyancing Task Force (CTF) has published its submission, arguing that delays are driven by structural inefficiencies rather than failings within conveyancing law. It points to overlapping regulatory obligations—such as anti-money laundering requirements and building safety legislation—which create unavoidable friction, added costs and longer transaction times.

The CTF highlights further causes of delay, including opaque lender panel practices, inconsistent instructions, slow lender decision-making, and the continued reliance on contradictory or outdated legislation. Additional pressures stem from delays in local authority searches, incomplete Land Registry data, and failures by local authorities to enforce planning obligations.

In its response, the CTF states that many of these inefficiencies originate in the public sector, lender requirements, inconsistent enforcement, and complex legal and regulatory frameworks. It also cautions against viewing technology as a standalone solution, arguing that digitalisation cannot replace legal judgement and may shift risk onto consumers in the absence of clear statutory liability.

The task force is calling for reforms that tackle the root causes of delay rather than addressing symptoms alone. It stresses that any national rollout of new measures should be supported by robust empirical evidence demonstrating reduced transaction times, lower fall-through rates and tangible cost savings for consumers.

The CTF further recommends that reforms be introduced in phases, aligned with existing regulatory frameworks, and underpinned by clear and consistent liability rules.

The response comes as the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee has confirmed the next witnesses for its inquiry into the home buying and selling process. The next evidence session, scheduled for 6 January 2026, will include Beth Rudolf, co-chair of the Home Buying and Selling Council and Director of Delivery at the Conveyancing Association, alongside Timothy Douglas, Propertymark’s Head of Policy and Campaigns.