As 2026 rolls on, the residential property market finds itself at an important juncture. Following several years marked by fluctuating activity, shifting consumer sentiment and operational pressure across the transaction pipeline, one priority is now shared across professionals: the need for greater certainty in property transactions.
This theme sits at the centre of Landmark’s latest webinar, Residential property market: Key trends that will shape 2026, and the accompanying cross‑market report, An industry aligned: Moving towards certainty. Together, they draw on insights from our property trends data, transaction milestone data and the latest market and consumer research, offering a comprehensive view of the market’s trajectory and the practical steps needed to improve transaction outcomes.
A mixed picture for the property market in 2025
The market in England and Wales experienced a mixed picture throughout 2025. Listing activity remained comparatively resilient in the first half of the year before softening in the second half as uncertainty surrounding potential fiscal changes in the lead up to the Autumn Budget tempered momentum. SSTC volumes mirrored this pattern, with Q4 highlighting the sensitivity of the market to wider economic sentiment.
Conveyancing activity reflected similar fluctuations. The completion surge driven by the Stamp Duty (SDLT) deadline – and subsequent dip – followed by the autumn slowdown illustrated the operational unpredictability many conveyancing firms had to absorb over the course of the year. These fluctuations did not halt the market, but they made the process less predictable for both professionals and consumers alike.
Understanding the expectation gap
One of the clearest findings from the new report is the gap between consumer expectations and the reality of transaction times. While the average instruction‑to‑completion figure stands at 123 days (17.6 weeks), the latest consumer ideal is actually 6.78 weeks.
This gap has a direct impact on satisfaction, communication pressure and fall‑through risk. Yet, as our panellists discussed, consumers are increasingly open to reform. Not only are they willing to instruct a conveyancer earlier for faster outcomes, but they are also open to paying agents and conveyancers upfront for services that promote transparency, speed and efficiency.
Scotland provides a stable comparative model
Against the wider backdrop of volatility in England and Wales, Scotland’s market delivered greater consistency in 2025. Modest year‑on‑year increases across listings, Sold Subject to Missives (SSTMs) and completions reflect a more predictable and stable operational environment – one strengthened by established expectations around upfront information.
Discussions during the webinar highlighted that several practical elements of the Scottish model could be adopted within England and Wales without waiting for legislative intervention, such as surfacing trusted upfront information earlier in the process. Across most key metrics, the Scottish transactional process is more efficient, offering a proven comparative model.
A shared direction for 2026
Across estate agents, conveyancers, lenders and wider stakeholders, one message from the webinar was consistent: the industry is aligned on the need to bring greater certainty of property transactions completing. Early data, improved sequencing, consistent communication and shared responsibility for the consumer education process are central to this premise.
As Rob Gurney, Managing Director at Ochresoft, put it: “If the average home seller doesn’t know that there are benefits from instructing their lawyer at the point of listing or even earlier, then they’re not going to. They need to be told. My plea to the industry is: let’s try and educate the home-moving public of the virtues of getting a lawyer instructed earlier.”
To explore these trends in depth, including detailed analysis from our panel and a walkthrough of the data that shaped last year and informs 2026, you can now watch the webinar on‑demand. It is designed for professionals across the property, legal and lending sectors who are seeking a clearer understanding of the forces shaping the residential property market in 2026.
Alongside the webinar, the full cross‑market report – An industry aligned: Moving towards certainty – is also available to download. Together, they provide data proof points and a consolidated view of consumer expectations, operational performance and the actions that can help the industry deliver more certain, confident transactions this year.
Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) has long been a headache for property conveyancers and solicitors, thanks to increasingly complex rules and reliefs.
The topic has been back in the headlines only recently after former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner resigned, admitting she’d underpaid SDLT on her property purchase in Hove.
And while Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget announced no imminent SDLT changes, this topic remains a talking point in the property industry – not least due to the serious financial and reputational consequences of getting it wrong.
Small errors, big repercussions
Research from InfoLegal suggests that four in ten SDLT returns contain mistakes, often due to misclassifying properties and misinterpreting reliefs. Conveyancing teams are frequently directed to generic guidance, leaving them to navigate complex rules without specialist advice.
Errors can result in compliance breaches, HMRC penalties, client disputes, negligence claims, and reputational damage.
The penalties alone can range from 30% to 100% of the SDLT lost plus interest, depending on whether HMRC classifies the error as careless or deliberate. So, even unintentional mistakes can have significant repercussions.
And it’s easy to see how SDLT errors can occur:
- Complex rules – SDLT is a minefield with five main tax bands and numerous reliefs and exemptions.
- A shifting landscape – changing thresholds and temporary reliefs mean it’s hard to keep up with the latest rules.
- A reliance on manual processes – many firms still rely on manual calculations, creating inefficiencies and risks of human error.
- Tools that aren’t up to the job – online calculators (including HMRC’s SDLT calculator) lack the functionality to handle some non-standard scenarios (such as corporate transactions and trusts).
- Pressing deadlines – conveyancers are under constant pressure to move fast and provide instant answers in this bewildering landscape.
A recent study from SCA Tax found that 11% of 7,000 submissions contained overpayment errors – highlighting the scale of the problem.
Meanwhile, SDLT scams are on the rise. Unscrupulous SDLT reclaim agents are exploiting weaknesses in the system, encouraging spurious and unfounded claims based on misinterpretation of the law (HMRC).
These issues are all creating a perfect storm within the property industry – underscoring the need for a comprehensive, tailored solution to protect conveyancers and their clients against liability.
4Stamp: a certified solution to ease the pain of SDLT
At OneSearch, we’ve partnered with 4Stamp to bring you a certified SDLT verification tool that provides accurate tax calculations instantly.
4Stamp is a cloud-based solution tailored for the ever-changing UK conveyancing landscape, enabling firms to meet their regulatory obligations under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
4Stamp is far more than an online calculator. It gives you peace of mind that your tax calculations are accurate, so you can get on with your job of delivering a first-class conveyancing service.
Safeguard your business against non-compliance
Using 4Stamp, you can:
- Protect against risk – get a certified tax assessment and a complete audit trail. Specialist tax advice is available for more complex cases.
- Get peace of mind with indemnity protection – all calculations are covered by professional indemnity insurance, transferring liability away from your firm.
- Save time and streamline your processes with instant calculations – reducing inefficiencies and admin work.
Conveyancing experts and solicitors can manage and track their SDLT and LTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) calculations directly through our OneSearch platform – alongside Local Authority searches, environmental reports, and other conveyancing tasks. 4Stamp brings together all aspects of conveyancing in one place.
The 4Stamp team can even manage any queries or investigations related to your SDLT transactions on your behalf.
“We understand the challenges that SDLT presents for conveyancers and solicitors,” explains Liz Jarvis, Managing Director, OneSearch. “The rules and regulations around SDLT are so complex and convoluted that even experienced conveyancers can fall foul of the system.”
“For conveyancers and solicitors, 4Stamp eliminates the financial and reputational risks associated with non-compliance while also streamlining the whole conveyancing process,” explains Liz.
“For buyers, 4Stamp ensures that they are paying the right amount – and not unwittingly putting themselves at risk of HMRC penalties or even overpayment.”
Bringing clarity and compliance to conveyancing
Speculation persists that the government is still considering yet more changes to property taxes, including SDLT. In a complex and uncertain market, 4Stamp brings clarity and compliance to ease the pain of SDLT.
Ready to take the first step? See how 4Stamp can help you improve compliance, reduce risk, and protect you and your clients from liability – watch our latest video for an in-depth look at SDLT compliance and how to include it in your next search order.
Conveyancing is evolving faster than ever. Our latest residential market research, Paving the way for smarter residential conveyancing in 2026, reveals how technology is transforming your day-to-day work, helping you deliver smarter, faster, and more certain transactions.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s inside:
- 86% of conveyancers agree digitisation and automation have improved customer experience.
- 78% now use AI to assist fee earners, double last year’s figure.
- 73% believe earlier data insights provide greater certainty for buyers.
This market research report provides key insights to help you stay competitive, boost efficiency, and meet client needs.
Download your copy today and discover how to leverage technology and collaboration for success in 2026.
UK property market enters ‘suspended animation’ amid Autumn Budget speculation
Our Q3 2025 Property Trends Report reveals that the UK housing market entered a period of ‘suspended animation’ during the third quarter of the year, with uncertainty over potential property tax changes in the run-up to the Autumn Budget causing the market to adopt a holding pattern.
Across England and Wales, there was a 1% drop in new property listings year-on-year. Sales agreed (SSTC) were 6% lower than in Q3 2024, while completion and search order volumes tracked in line with 2024 levels. Mortgage valuation numbers held steady, but remortgaging continued to drive much of the market activity.
Other key findings from Q3 2025 include:
- Listings volumes were down 1% vs Q3 ‘24 volumes.
- In Scotland, listings were down 4% in Q3 ‘25 vs Q3 ‘24.
- SSTC volumes in Q3 ‘25 were down 6% compared to Q3 ‘24 volumes.
- SSTM levels in Scotland were up 4% in Q3 ‘25 vs Q3 ‘24.
- Completion volumes were up 1% in Q3 ‘25 compared to Q3 ’24.
- In Scotland, completions were up 10% in Q3 ‘25 vs Q3 ‘24.
Download the report for the latest trends affecting the residential sector in Q3 2025.
Our parent company Landmark Information Group is among some of the UK’s leading organisations from across the property sector who have united to streamline the property transaction process and bring certainty back to the sector. Our bold ambition is to transform how we buy and sell property for good.
The Charter is a cross-industry commitment to transform the UK property market by reducing the time from sale agreed to exchange to just 28 days.
For the first time, mortgage lenders, brokers, estate agents, conveyancers and property data providers have come together to define eight key commitments aimed at streamlining the property transaction process and delivering better outcomes for all.
Landmark Information Group is committed to bringing certainty, transparency and speed to the home buying process.
Read more: https://hubs.la/Q03J4xkL0
Climate change is now having a systemic effect on the property market. Landmark’s latest market research report – Climate change in the property sector: A cross-market update, seeks to understand what progress is being made on climate change related resilience and what notable barriers remain.
For this report, Landmark interviewed 150 senior property professionals: estate agents, residential conveyancers and mortgage lenders; all with decades’ worth of experience. In a muted market, beset by other pressures, conveyancers report buyers are increasingly walking away from risky transactions, suggesting a growing consumer sensitivity and more serious financial implications attached to climate data.
Some of the key findings of our 2025 research include:
- 99% of property professionals say their clients are concerned to some degree with the evolving / future potential threat of climate change when buying a property.
- 93% of property professionals say that recent climate events have impacted the way they advise clients to think about climate related risks and how they could affect their home.
- On average, property professionals are advising 52% of their clients on potential climate change risks to their property (up from 50% in 2024).
- Nearly three quarters (74%) of the conveyancers we spoke to now have a net zero strategy.
Download the report by clicking below.
