Petition · past parliament
To change the way we buy and sell land and property in England and Wales.
Closed
49 signatures
What the petition asks
You can't leave a gym membership or phone contract without financial penalty but you can still walk away from a house sale or purchase without any justification causing incredible stress and financial loss to the other party. Commitment should be immediate and penalties apply for not completing.
When you agree to purchase or sell land or property via private treaty, you are not legally bound until exchange of contracts with the buyer usually incurring slightly higher costs than the seller. Exchange can be around 8 weeks or longer after the original price is agreed. Hundreds of times a year, one party withdraws before exchange for no justifiable reason causing incredible stress and financial loss to the other party, often with huge impacts on their family, schooling and work.
Timeline
| 12 Aug 2015 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 12 Feb 2016 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
49
Status
Closed
Opened
12 Aug 2015
Closed
12 Feb 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.