Buying or Selling a Home? New Changes Could Affect You
Buying or selling a home can already feel slow, stressful and full of unfamiliar paperwork. Recent changes to the residential conveyancing process are designed to make things clearer earlier, so that buyers and sellers have fewer surprises later on.
The main change concerns the forms used during a property sale, especially the TA6 Property Information Form and, for leasehold properties, the TA7 Leasehold Information Form.
These forms are completed by the seller and shared with the buyer. They tell the buyer important information about the property, such as boundaries, disputes, alterations, building works, guarantees, planning issues, utilities, insurance, leasehold matters and other practical details.
What has changed?
From 30 March 2026, solicitors, like Sydney Mitchell, who are members of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme, must use the updated TA6 form for new transactions. If the property is leasehold, the updated TA7 form will also be used.
The new approach is intended to give buyers better information earlier in the process. Sellers will be asked to provide fuller details about the property, and both buyers and sellers should receive explanatory notes to help them understand what the questions mean.
In simple terms, the aim is to reduce confusion, avoid unnecessary delays and help people make informed decisions sooner.
What does this mean for sellers?
Sellers should expect to provide more detailed information at an earlier stage.
This does not mean sellers are expected to be legal experts. However, they will need to answer the forms carefully, honestly and as completely as they can from their own knowledge.
A seller should not guess. If they do not know the answer to a question, they should say so rather than giving an answer that may be wrong.
The key message for sellers is: prepare early. Gather documents such as planning permissions, building regulation certificates, guarantees, lease documents, service charge information, ground rent details, window certificates, boiler service records and any correspondence about disputes or works.
The more organised a seller is at the start, the less likely the sale is to be delayed later.
What does this mean for buyers?
Buyers should receive more useful information before they fully commit to the purchase.
This should help buyers understand whether there are issues with the property before they spend too much time and money. For example, a buyer may discover earlier that there has been a boundary dispute, unauthorised building work, leasehold charges, flood risk concerns or missing paperwork.
However, buyers should not treat the forms as a substitute for proper legal advice, searches or a survey. The seller’s answers are important, but they are only one part of the investigation.
The key message for buyers is: read the information carefully and ask questions early.
Will this make conveyancing faster?
That is the intention, but it will depend on how well everyone prepares.
If sellers complete the forms properly and provide documents quickly, buyers and their solicitors should be able to spot issues earlier. This could reduce the number of late enquiries and avoid problems appearing just before exchange of contracts.
However, if sellers delay completing the forms, give incomplete answers or cannot find important paperwork, the process may still slow down.
Why are these changes being made?
The home-buying process in England and Wales is often criticised for being too slow and uncertain. Sales can fall through after weeks or months because important information only comes to light late in the transaction.
The updated forms are part of a wider move towards more upfront information. The idea is simple: buyers should know more about what they are buying before they are too far into the process.
Practical tips for sellers
Before putting your home on the market, start collecting the paperwork your solicitor is likely to need.
Be honest about problems. Trying to hide an issue can cause more serious problems later and may even lead to a claim after completion.
Do not rush the forms. Read the explanatory notes and ask your solicitor if you do not understand a question.
Practical tips for buyers
Do not ignore the forms. They contain important information about the property.
Raise concerns early. If something looks unclear, ask your solicitor about it as soon as possible.
Remember that the forms do not replace searches, mortgage checks or a survey. They should be read alongside the other information gathered during the transaction.
The bottom line
The changes should make the conveyancing process more transparent. Sellers will need to be better prepared, and buyers should receive clearer information earlier.
For sellers, preparation is now more important than ever. For buyers, the changes should make it easier to understand the property before committing fully.
The overall aim is to reduce last-minute surprises, cut delays and make moving home a little less stressful for everyone involved.
We hold the Law Society recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practice, called the Our Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS). This means you can be reassured that the service we provide is highest quality and reaches the standard required to be accredited with CQS.
Contact us for further information or a quotation.
