The homebuying process, stamp duty rates and the leasehold system have all been cited as ‘major housing concerns’, according to new research by the HomeOwners Alliance.
The organisation, which has been tracking UK housing concerns for the past 10 years, says issues that were significant in 2015 continue to plague the market in 2025. While concerns related to affordability and availability persist, the analysis highlights a sharp increase in the number of UK adults saying they have specific issues related to homebuying.
The home buying and selling process is a growing concern amongst buyers, rated as ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ serious by 60% of those asked in 2025 – prompting Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, to call the process ‘a well-known joke’ in urgent need of reform.
She added:
“In a world where almost everything can be done efficiently online, it’s frankly ridiculous that buying a home is taking longer than ever. According to TwentyCi, the average time to buy a property in 2024 was 122 days – up from 94 days just ten years ago. That’s a 30% increase, and a clear sign the system needs urgent modernisation.”
The leasehold system saw the largest increase in the number of people claiming it is a concerning aspect of homebuying: 64% rated the system as a serious problem in 2025, up from 42% a decade ago. ‘Despite the government’s leasehold reforms, whether recently passed into law, pending or promised, action has been slow and frustration is growing – particularly among leaseholders trapped in homes they have little control over’, said Higgins.
Stamp duty rates have also become a larger worry for many, cited by 64% of respondents and up by 13% since 2015. ‘Stamp duty continues to be a major block on movement for families up and down the country,’ Higgins said.
“While some reforms have rightly targeted investors and second homeowners, this upfront tax remains a huge financial barrier to everyday homeowners. It discourages them from moving and penalises first-time buyers, who have seen their tax-free thresholds cut.”
While specific issues have seen the highest increase, the top concerns of would-be buyers remain the ability of first-time buyers to get on the housing ladder (81%), house prices (81%), saving for a deposit (79%), the quality of housing (77%) and the availability of housing (75%).
The aspiration to get on the property ladder has also fallen to its lowest level in over 10 years, with only 64% of those who don’t yet own a home saying they would like to – down from 71% last year and below the 2013 figure of 65%.
Higgins commented:
“Hearing from first time buyers everyday here at the HomeOwners Alliance we knew that for many people the prospects of homeownership was bleak, but to discover that aspiration to own is at its lowest level for over a decade – with just 64% now saying they want to own, down from 71% last year and even lower than in 2013 – is a shock. The dream of homeownership is slipping further out of reach and fading fast for an entire generation.”
A ‘significant’ 42% of potential buyers believe now is a bad time to buy a home, with financial issues cited as the main barrier by 82% of respondents, including the cost of living, mortgage costs, economic uncertainy and the rising cost of stamp duty.
‘These figures should ring alarm bells in government’, Higgins warned. ‘It’s unacceptable that Brits wanting to buy a home continue to be stumped by not enough homes and sky high house prices’.
2 responses
It was Oscar Wilde who said all the conventions of life find their highest expression in parody. Highly trained property lawyers grow weary of the cheat shots at their expense. Most delays are caused by politicians bad mouthing professionals in a veil of ignorance.
The law tech sector claims it’s the lack of digitalisation that is the primary driver of delays. This claim is beyond parody.
Interesting to note that filings at Companies House show the “Home Owners Alliance” is one third owned by “Smoove” who are in turn part of “PEXA”.
Regulation of managing agents would go a long way to ease the burden of leasehold says.