Conveyancers are being told to speak up now to help shape proposals around digital home moving reforms before the government legislates.
The call to action was made during a webinar hosted by LMS Conveyancing’s National Property Transaction Network (NPTN) this month, urging property professionals to get involved in digital reforms rather than await their arrival.
More than 180 property professionals joined the discussion, hosted by Travis Scholes, commercial director at LMS with Beth Rudolf, director of delivery at the Conveyancing Association, Leon Ifayemi, director of coalitions and research at CFIT, and Maria Harris, chair of the Open Property Data Association as panel contributors.
The webinar examined the progress made to date on digital home moving reforms and the opportunities that lie ahead with “growing collaboration across the property sector” a key feature of the discussion.
“A huge amount of input into getting these things right is having frontline business and operational people in the room,” Harris explained in the webinar, “so that we can shape any proposals around real transactions and what obstacles are actually holding them up.”
The panel highlighted issues with understanding the distinct roles of key organisations, with a need to demystify the evolving reform landscape. Collaboration across the sector will be critical said Ifayemi: “We don’t want a world where change is forced through at the last minute, at far greater cost to everyone involved,” her urged, pointing to the successes and learnings from Open Banking.
With the government’s first smart data schemes due to be operational by 2030, and the public call for evidence on cross-sector smart data recently closing on 1st October, the time to get involved and shape what those schemes look like is now, the panellists stressed.
Each speaker agreed that material information, sales packs and digitisation are likely to become mandatory in the near future. Firms that move early can realise the commercial benefits now, the panel said, by minimising duplication, shortening transaction times and dramatically reducing the time spent chasing information.
Just as importantly, those already building and testing these approaches are best placed to shape how the rules are written, contributing practical evidence to policy reform rather than simply waiting to receive it.
“Talk to us,” Rudolf encouraged property professionals. “We need to know from you what you need […] engage early and come and try things now.
“This is the government’s opportunity to see the solutions develop to deliver the maximum benefits before they legislate; so get involved and make sure any unintended consequences are sorted before it becomes law.”
