Back in 2017, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) held a consultation on ways to speed up the conveyancing process and came with some suggestions, the main one being more information upfront from sellers.

More Information From Sellers

This isn’t a new idea and has been pursued previously in the form of the Home Information Packs in 2007 which were abolished soon after. The Ministry is keen to introduce a so-called property passport in the future, which would contain all the information a potential buyer would need.

If sellers provided more information upfront, ideally collecting the details about the property before it’s placed on the market, this would help to speed up the entire process.

Every property is different, but as a guide the information sellers could gather to give to prospective buyers at the start of the transaction, include:

• Any planning permission for extensions
• Any building regulations approval
• Any details on electrical rewires, works to electrical installations, or changes to central heating systems plus building regulations approval if needed
• Confirmation from the landlord or management company that the service/maintenance charges have been paid and copies of accounts for leaseholds

Fixed Time And Maximum Fees For Information

Other ideas from the MHCLG include having a fixed time frame for putting all the information together for buyers, and introducing maximum fees for providing such details.

Improving The Process Of Buying And Selling Houses

These suggestions are not requirements yet but we’re hopeful they will be soon. It’s certainly beneficial if you’re selling your property to gather together the information buyers want to see – the more information you can provide for a buyer’s lawyer, the fewer queries they’ll likely have. By cutting out the time to wait for a seller to gather all the information, it would also prevent transactions falling through too as well as reduce the buyer’s frustration.

Here at HLF Berry Solicitors, we know it’s helpful to provide as much information as possible and as quickly as possible from the start.

If you’re selling your property, one of our specialist conveyancing solicitors will offer you a face-to-face meeting to discuss your situation and the details of your home, advising you on what information a buyer’s solicitor is likely to need. This will help speed up the process and reduce delays, ensuring a smoother process.

To speak to one of our specialist solicitors about selling your property, please contact us at our Chorlton office on 0161 860 7123 or email chorlton@hlfberry.com or at our Failsworth office on 0161 681 4005 or email failsworth@hlfberry.com