Conveyancers could be forced to publish their track record on performance as part of proposed home buying and selling reforms announced by the government today which would see the return of home information packs in all but name.

Announcing the ‘biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history’, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said its reforms would save buyers £710 on average and cut the time it takes to get the keys to their new home by four weeks.

The ministry said home buyers and sellers have limited support when it comes to picking the appropriate services and is ‘exploring options’ for publishing information on conveyancers, such as the speed and quality of their service and whether they support digital services such as a property pack or logbook.

The consultation says: ‘Not only would this support consumers to choose the appropriate services, it would also provide the opportunity to compare services through a trusted source and ensure consumers are paying a fair price. Existing support services of this sort have been shown to save consumers an average of £490 per transaction.’

Sellers would be required to upfront information that goes beyond the ‘material information’ that must be included in property listings. The additional information could include EPC rating, title information, seller ID verification, leasehold terms, building safety data, standard searches, property information captured in the Law Society’s TA6 form and a property condition assessment.

The consultation says: ‘We recognise that previous initiatives, such as home information packs, faced challenges around trust, reliance, and outdated information. Our approach would address these issues by drawing data from trusted sources, underpinned by clear standards, and updated as needed.’ Searches would be valid for six months and search providers would provide free refreshes.

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Law Society vice-president Mark Evans, who practised as a high street conveyancer for three decades, said: ‘We are keen to work with our members, government and all those involved in the conveyancing market to make sure the right reforms are enacted. We support estate agents being regulated, more transparency in property chains and having conveyancers instructed as early as possible in the home buying and selling process.

‘Better joined up technology can help facilitate home buying and selling but such systems must be accessible to all types of firms. A thriving conveyancing market is a diverse market. We will seek views from our members as we consider the government’s proposals carefully.’

The consultation closes on 29 December.