The home buying and selling system in England and Wales has been talked about, tinkered with, and quietly reshaped for years. Yet for most people moving home, it can still feel fragile, slow, and far more stressful than it needs to be. As we move deeper into 2026, it would be interesting to know whether meaningful change is actually on the way, or whether the system is simply absorbing more pressure without fundamentally shifting.

That is the backdrop for this week’s Property Quorum, live on Thursday 29th January at 10am, where the conversation turns to whether 2026 is likely to bring real change to how homes are bought and sold, or whether evolution will continue to be incremental rather than transformative.

There has been no shortage of ideas. Upfront information, digital property logbooks, earlier data disclosure and greater transparency have all resurfaced in policy discussions. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been clear that the current system creaks under pressure. Transactions fall through too often, delays ripple through chains, and trust between parties can wear thin long before completion.

At the same time, digitalisation has accelerated. Local Land Charges have moved, datasets are larger and faster, and more information is technically available earlier than ever before. That sounds like progress, yet for many conveyancers it has created a different challenge. Interpreting, refining and explaining growing volumes of data now takes more time and judgement, not less. Speed of access does not always equal speed of understanding.

Capacity is another fault line. Experienced conveyancers are leaving the profession, and recruitment remains difficult. Forecasts from UK Finance suggest transaction numbers may soften slightly in 2026, although fewer transactions does not automatically mean less strain. Complex files, heightened lender requirements and consumer expectations continue to stretch already-thin teams.

Against that backdrop, the idea of “system reform” starts to look more nuanced. England and Wales remain committed to an offer-to-completion model. Chains are still a defining feature. Surveys, searches and mortgage offers often remain sequential rather than parallel. These fundamentals are not easily rewritten without creating new risks elsewhere.

This week’s discussion is strengthened by the addition of Silas J Lees, whose perspective on consumer experience, trust and transparency in property transactions brings a valuable dimension to the conversation. His insights help frame what change might actually feel like on the ground for buyers and sellers, rather than simply how it looks on paper.

As ever, Gareth Wax is in the chair, guiding the discussion and keeping it grounded in real-world experience. He is joined by Hamish McLay, bringing the conveyancing and search perspective to the table. Together, alongside Silas, they will explore whether 2026 marks a turning point, or whether the system is still feeling its way forward.

Property Quorum airs live at 10am on Thursday 29th January.

You can watch live or catch up later via our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea

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