Government’s Digital Property Overhaul: What It Means for Surveyors

The UK Government is introducing major changes to the property market, aiming to speed up home-buying and give leaseholders more control over their buildings. Part of Labour’s wider housing strategy, these changes could bring new opportunities for surveyors as the industry adapts to digitalisation and evolving client needs.

Currently, property sales can be delayed for months due to the time-consuming process of gathering and verifying paper-based documents, such as local authority searches and building control information. To tackle these delays, the government plans to fully digitalise the process, making critical property data accessible in real time.

Previously scattered across different organisations and requiring manual retrieval, key information will be easily accessible digitally for surveyors, conveyancers, and lenders through data-sharing platforms. Digital identity verification services will also reduce repetitive checks and speed up transactions.

Surveyors will benefit from faster access to key property details, which could reduce delays in inspections and reports. With less time spent waiting for documents, surveyors could see increased efficiency in their daily workflows.

However, faster transactions may also come with increased expectations. Buyers, sellers, and lenders could push for tighter turnaround times, putting pressure on surveyors to deliver reports more quickly without compromising quality. Small or understaffed firms could feel this pressure the most, requiring adjustments to how they manage their workloads.

GoReport, a building surveying and software platform, could play a crucial role here. By enabling surveyors to gather, record, and share information efficiently, GoReport’s technology helps professionals effortlessly capture and organise data, notes, and photos on-site while maintaining accuracy and quality, which will be essential in meeting the demands of a faster-paced property market.

As the property market becomes more digital, some routine tasks may be handled by automated tools, raising concerns that traditional surveying roles might be affected.

However, expertise of surveyors remains critical for many tasks and inspections, structural assessments, and property issues that require their on-site professional judgment. Rather than replacing surveyors, automation will likely serve as a tool to handle routine tasks, allowing professionals to focus on high-value, specialised work while providing expert insight and guidance to their clients based on year of experience and industry knowledge – something that cannot be replaced.

Beyond digitalisation, the government’s reforms to leasehold arrangements could create new opportunities for surveyors. Starting 3rd March 2025, new legislation will give leaseholders greater control over how their service charges are spent and simplify the right-to-manage process. Leaseholders will no longer be required to cover landlords’ legal fees, making it easier and cheaper to take control of building management.

Surveyors could play an important role in this transition, providing advice on maintenance planning, budget management, and building condition assessments. As leaseholders take on more responsibility, surveyors may find themselves in demand for consultancy services related to long-term building management.

While digitalisation and leasehold reforms present new opportunities, they also bring challenges. Surveyors will need to stay ahead by implementing digital tools like GoReport, improving efficiency, and managing client expectations in a faster-paced environment. Firms that embrace these changes could position themselves as leaders in an increasingly digital property market.

As the government launches new digital systems and expands its housing plans, including the goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2029, surveyors will remain central to ensuring quality, safety, and compliance. With the right preparation, this digital shift could help surveyors deliver more value and expand their role within the industry.