Homebuying reform must not be sacrificed in the rush to digitalise the property market warned a conveyancing pressure group.
Following the landmark publication of the government’s response to its home buying and selling reform consultation, the Conveyancing Task Force called for more engagement with “frontline expertise” after successive governments have “failed to consult meaningfully with professionals, most notably during the development of the Building Safety Act 2022, where frontline expertise was marginalised despite the Act’s profound operational consequences for leasehold conveyancing.”
“In Roman times, Janus was the God of transitions. The guardian of thresholds, looking back to the lessons of the past, while facing the possibilities of the future” explained CTF spokesperson Stephen Larcombe. “That symbolism feels particularly relevant as Andy Burnham was authorised today to begin formal talks with the Civil Service, ensuring an orderly transfer of power following the Prime Minister’s resignation”
At a time of political change with the departure of Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, the CTF says it urges ministers, civil servants, and policymakers to ensure that homebuying reform is grounded in credible evidence, legality, and professional expertise.
Larcombe added: “Integrity in property law is not transitional. It cannot be paused for political convenience, delegated to an algorithm, or traded for greed or speed. Any reform worthy of the name must respect the lessons of the past and the responsibilities of the future.”
He said the group has seen a “strong and principled backlash from most property lawyers” against the decision to place digitalisation and AI driven processes at the heart of homebuying reform.
“The CTF has consistently argued that while technology can support the process, it cannot replace legal judgment or the safeguards that protect homebuying from structural risk” concluded Larcombe.
