Kirsty Allsopp has led the fury over Labour‘s new house-buying reforms branding the proposals ‘pathetic’.
In a rant on social media TV presenter said: ‘This is pathetic, infantile b*****ks.
‘If this is indicative of how the Government is going to treat this vital process of reform, and the consultation needed to achieve it, then God help up!’
She was responding to a post from the Secretary of State for Housing, Steve Reed, who had shared a popular Drake meme alongside the government update.
It comes after new plans were announced to try and make housebuying quicker, cheaper and easier.
Ministers want to halve the number of failed transactions, prevent last-minute fall-throughs and drive up the standards of estate agents and conveyancers.
Under the new reforms, sellers and estate agents would need to give buyers key information about a property upfront – such as leasehold costs and survey details.
Buyers will then be able to see the physical condition, characteristics and flood risk of the property online. Binding contracts could also be introduced at an earlier stage, reducing the risk of a chain collapsing.
However, speaking on Radio4 this morning Ms Allsopp added her concerns that the government might try and use this to force people to sign up to a digital ID: ‘I hope this isn’t going to end up with you not being able to buy a house unless you sign up to digital ID.’
She said: ‘There is a lot of talk about saving money for the buyers and a lot of focus on the buyers, but the process is a selling process.
‘Most people buying are also selling. And it is very important that any work done to reform the process focusses on both elements. Because things fall through because buyers walk away just as much as when sellers walk away.’
But under the new plans those selling a home could face increased costs of around £310 due to the inclusion of upfront assessments and surveys.
Kirsty Allsopp has led the fury over Labour ‘s new house-buying reforms branding the proposals ‘pathetic’
In a rant on social media TV presenter said: ‘This is pathetic, infantile b*****ks’
Those in the middle of a chain would potentially gain a net saving of £400 as a result of the increased costs from selling being outweighed by lower buying expenses.
Estate agents and conveyancers could be subjected to mandatory qualifications and a new code of practice, with buyers given more information about their track record and expertise.
Ministers hope the proposals, contained in a Home Buying and Selling Reform consultation launched today, will cut around a month off the time it takes to buy a new home and save first-time buyers an average of £710.
Ministers also hope the reforms will speed up the sluggish housing market by halving the number of failed sales, which cost the economy £1.5billion a year.
The last Labour government brought in similar reforms in 2007 with the ‘home information pack (Hips)’. The Tories ditched Hips in 2010. Critics of the scheme said it added red tape, with sellers forced to pay around £200 to £400 for the packs.
Announcing the proposals, Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: ‘Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives.’
Rightmove chief executive Johan Svanstrom said: ‘The home-moving process involves many fragmented parts, and there’s simply too much uncertainty and costs along the way.
‘We look forward to working with the Government on this effort to improve the buying and selling process.’
Announcing the proposals, Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: ‘Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives’ (file image)
Zoopla boss Paul Whitehead said: ‘The homebuying process in the UK remains far too long, too complex, too uncertain, and has seen far less digital innovation than many other sectors.’
Tory housing spokesman Paul Holmes warned: ‘Whilst we welcome steps to digitise and speed up the process, this risks reinventing the last Labour government’s failed home information packs.
‘Labour are also damaging the opportunities of home buyers, by failing to meet their 1.5million new homes built by the end of the Parliament target. The main pressure on housing is immigration and that’s why we’ve set out tough new plans to ensure the British public is put first.’