Petition · Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

Change the house purchasing process to protect sellers

Closed 52 signatures

What the petition asks

We believe that buyers should be legally required to cover the seller's legal costs if the buyer pulls out of a property purchase after an offer is accepted.
In England and Wales there is no legal requirement for a buyer to cover a seller's costs if the buyer pulls out of a house purchase, even if the process has lasted many months. This can leave sellers with legal costs of hundreds of pounds to find.

Timeline

5 Dec 2024 Petition opened for signatures
5 Jun 2025 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 52
Status Closed
Department Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Opened 5 Dec 2024
Closed 5 Jun 2025

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 19 Aug 2026.