Gazumping could effectively become a thing of the past under a package of government reforms designed to make the homebuying process faster, cheaper and less likely to collapse.

Announced in June 2026, the plans would require key information about a property to be made available upfront through digital sales packs and would introduce legally binding agreements earlier in the transaction process. The Government estimates the changes could cut transaction times by around four weeks and save first-time buyers an average of £650.

Steve Reed, Housing Secretary, said: “These changes will make the system faster, fairer, and more secure - giving families and first-time buyers the certainty they need all while saving them time and money.”

Around one in three property transactions currently falls through, costing sellers an estimated £400m a year and the wider economy up to £1.5bn. Under the proposals, buyers and sellers who withdraw from an agreed deal without good reason could face financial penalties, significantly reducing the risk of gazumping and collapsed sales.

Sheila Kumar, Chief Executive of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, said: “The publication of the Home Buying and Selling Roadmap is a major milestone. It brings together a range of initiatives that have the potential to transform the experience of moving home for consumers.

“Together, these changes will create a modern, end-to-end system where people can track and progress their move more easily, with less uncertainty and fewer delays. This will reduce fall-throughs and increase confidence in the home buying and selling process.”

Unlike the current system in England and Wales, where transactions only become legally binding on exchange of contracts, the reforms are intended to provide greater certainty much earlier in the process.

The measures form part of the Government's wider plans to digitise the property market and tackle the delays that have long been blamed for failed transactions.