Paula Higgins is the founder and CEO of HomeOwners Alliance, which exists to give practical help to homeowners facing some of the biggest and most complex decisions of their lives. At www.hoa.org.uk visitors will find independent tips across every aspect of buying, owning and selling. A respected commentator and advocate for homeowners, Paula is regularly quoted in the media and appears on radio and TV.
What was your career path to your current role?
My career path wasn’t entirely planned. I didn’t grow up in the UK – I emigrated to Canada as a child – and returned for just one year to do a Masters in Environmental Policy at the LSE. That was over 30 years ago, and I never went back.
I joined the Civil Service in 1997, working across environment, housing and regeneration policy. I was the UK negotiator on Energy Performance of Buildings legislation, worked at the European Commission supporting its implementation, and later led a review of building control.
Over time, I realised something was missing: the voice of the homeowner. Housing policy was dominated by government and industry, yet it impacts people’s lives so directly. So in 2012, I left to set up HomeOwners Alliance to champion the needs of homeowners and those who aspire to own – and convinced my job share partner, Angela, to take the leap and join me too.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
Early on, I wanted to join the Canadian diplomatic service – largely because I loved the idea of travelling and working internationally – but I didn’t get very far with it. In hindsight, that was probably a blessing.
I did end up spending a few years living and working in Brussels, including time at the European Commission, which gave me that international experience. But it also made me realise that London is home.
What keeps you motivated in your work?
What keeps me motivated is people. I get a huge amount of energy from my team, our partners, fellow entrepreneurs and the industry networks we work with – there’s a real sense of shared purpose.
At a fundamental level, I’m driven by a desire to help people not just solve problems, but avoid costly mistakes in the first place – especially when it comes to something as important as their home. People do not buy and sell their homes that often and I want to empower them so they are in the driving seat, making informed decisions. Alongside that, I’m motivated by the opportunity to influence change at a bigger level, improving housing policy so it works better for consumers.
And there’s nothing quite like seeing that translate into real impact. When a campaign leads to change or genuinely helps people, it creates a real sense of momentum and makes it all worthwhile.
If you could change one thing about the transaction process, what would it be?
If I could change one thing, it would be to make the process far more certain and transparent from the outset. That means upfront information packs, so buyers have everything they need to make an informed decision before they commit.
Alongside that, I’d introduce legally binding contracts much earlier in the process, with far less wiggle room. At the moment, too many transactions fall through late on, wasting time and money for everyone involved. If a party pulls out without good reason, there should be real consequences – whether that’s covering the other side’s costs or losing a deposit.
I’d also scrap stamp duty for people buying homes to live in. It’s a tax on mobility and aspiration and it’s a handbrake on the housing market.
Ultimately, it’s about creating a system that is fairer, faster and gives buyers and sellers much greater confidence.
What has been the best development in conveyancing in the last 20 years?
The biggest step forward has been the introduction of digital ID verification and the ability to access and share documents online. What used to involve posting paperwork or turning up in person with passports can now often be done securely in minutes. It’s made the process quicker, more convenient and more secure for buyers.
We’ve also seen the rise of digital platforms that allow buyers and sellers to track progress and communicate with their conveyancer in real time, rather than relying on phone calls and chasing emails.
And the worst?
Despite these advances, the fundamentals of the process haven’t really changed – and in some respects, it’s arguably got worse. Transactions are still slow, uncertain and prone to falling through late on, which feels increasingly out of step with how quickly people expect services to work today.
Local authority searches remain a major bottleneck. While there has been progress on digitising Local Land Charges, in reality turnaround times still vary widely between councils, can take weeks, and remain vulnerable to disruption — including cyber attacks, as seen recently in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. This adds yet another layer of uncertainty.
Most importantly, people are still losing thousands of pounds when transactions fall through. The lack of upfront information is a core flaw, allowing deals to collapse after weeks or even months, causing huge stress and wasted cost.
There is work underway across government and industry to improve the system, but progress is slow given the number of stakeholders involved. In the meantime, we’re focused on helping homeowners take control — encouraging better sale preparedness and supporting buyers with products like home buyers protection insurance.
Do you think conveyancing will ever be fully digitalised?
I think conveyancing will become much more digital, but it’s unlikely to ever be fully end-to-end digital. Property transactions are complex, high value and require legal judgement, so there will always be a role for human oversight. Conveyancers and solicitors should be focused on advising clients, not just gathering and chasing paperwork.
The challenge is that progress so far has been piecemeal. The government needs to take ownership and drive this forward with urgency, rather than waiting for the market to figure it out. There are too many vested interests, moving parts and risks for change to happen without strong leadership.
Until the system is properly joined up – with lenders, conveyancers, agents and government working from the same digital infrastructure – we won’t see the full benefits. But that should be the goal: a process that is digital by default, with human expertise stepping in where it really matters.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
The best piece of advice I was given is simple: believe in yourself — and remember you’re probably smarter than you think you are.
It sounds basic, but it really stuck with me. If you don’t back yourself, you won’t put yourself forward or take opportunities. And if you don’t try, you’ll regret it – you’ll always wonder what might have happened.
There’s a tendency to wait until you feel completely ready, but that moment rarely comes. Sometimes you just have to go for it with confidence and work it out as you go.
What advice would you like to give to someone just starting out?
Build your network. People are generally very willing to talk about their careers and share their experiences, so take the opportunity to listen and learn from them. Always make time for conversations, even if they don’t seem immediately relevant – you never know where they might lead.
I still remember those more senior than me who took the time to speak with me early on. It made a real difference. And it’s just as important to pass that on – to be generous with your time and support others coming through.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
Something people are often surprised by is just how international my background is. I’ve lived in four different countries – I was born in Amsterdam, and have lived in Iran, Canada, the UK and Belgium – and I hold three passports.
Despite all that, I’m actually the only person in my family with a Canadian accent, which always catches people off guard.
But perhaps the biggest surprise is that after all that moving around, I’ve ended up feeling most at home in London.
What does winning a British Conveyancing Awards mean to you?
Winning Property Commentator of the Year at the British Conveyancing Awards is a real honour. It’s recognition not just of the work I do, but of the issues we’re trying to shine a light on – making the home buying and selling process fairer, more transparent and less stressful for consumers.
For me, it also reflects the work of the wider HomeOwners Alliance team. We spend a lot of time listening to homeowners, understanding where the system is falling short, and pushing for change. To have that recognised by the industry really matters.
Most of all, it reinforces the importance of continuing to speak up for consumers and to challenge a system that still doesn’t always work in their favour.
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