Enough is Enough: Why the British Property Industry Must Stop Waiting for Government Fixes

Another day, another legislative upheaval.

This week's announcement from National Trading Standards confirming the withdrawal of the industry's existing Material Information guidance — barely two years after its phased rollout — should set alarm bells ringing for every estate agent, letting agent, and property professional in the UK.

If this feels like déjà vu, you're right.

We've been here before with the shambolic Home Information Packs (HIPs). That scheme, too, promised a revolution. Instead, it collapsed under its own weight, leaving the industry to pick up the pieces.

Once again, government-led interventions have failed to deliver the clarity, stability, and support that the property market so desperately needs.

But here's the harsh reality we must now face: no government, no regulator, and no trade body is going to ride in on a white horse to save this industry.

The baton is in our hands, and we either pick it up and lead, or brace ourselves for another wave of fines, customer complaints, and professional embarrassment.

The Danger Is Real: Bigger Fines, Greater Risk

Let's not sugar-coat this. The replacement of the Material Information guidance by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act) massively raises the stakes. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now has sweeping powers to penalise businesses that fail to disclose what it defines as 'material information'.

Fines aren't theoretical—they are very real, very large, and potentially business-ending.

There is no official checklist. No phased rollout. No grace period.

You're either compliant or you're not.

You either protect your business or you put it at risk – because of an over-reliance on others.

The Siloed Status Quo Will Fail Us All

What's worse, the property industry's default response so far has been dangerously fragmented. Moving home naturally requires input from multiple parties – estate agents, conveyancers, mortgage brokers, surveyors and removal companies – and each piece of the puzzle needs to be in place for a seamless move. Yet one mistake in an earlier part of the process can cost the client thousands and jeopardise their move.

This fractured approach is precisely what has held the industry back for decades. If we are serious about fixing the root causes of transaction delays, fall-throughs, and customer dissatisfaction, we must come together as one.

Agents, conveyancers, mortgage brokers, surveyors, removals companies, PropTech providers — we all need to unify, not isolate. The entire home-moving journey must be coordinated, transparent, and professionalised or we and our clients will continue to be penalised.

Why Action Can't Wait

We cannot afford to wait for a "perfect" solution from above. It's already been promised by many who have repeatedly failed to deliver at a time when the property market has been at its busiest and many have left their respective profession as a result of the increased stress and anxiety they've faced.

The legislation is here. The fines are real. And the confusion across the industry is rapidly growing.

That's why proactive agents must take ownership of their Material Information processes right now. It's the "wide-open goal" many are looking for to help them win more listings, reduce their fall-throughs, differentiate themselves from their competition, and more importantly, increase their fees.

Waiting is gambling with your business.

Relying on "profession-specific solutions" is risky.

Wishing for clearer government guidance is fantasy – as has been proven over and over again. Did you know we've had 16 (yes, you read that right - sixteen!) housing ministers in the last 10 years? No wonder there's no tangible progress in resolving the issues that plague the property industry!

WiggyWam's Call to Arms

At WiggyWam, we've spent years developing the tools, training, and strategies to help the industry raise its game. While no single solution can claim to have all the answers yet, we stand ready to partner with forward-thinking agents, conveyancers and other property professionals who understand the stakes and want to take decisive leadership before regulators come knocking levying heavy fines.

We're opening the door to collaborative partnerships with those who want to lead the market, shape new standards, increase consumer value, and protect their businesses by getting ahead of the curve.

Let's be clear:

✅ The risk is real.

✅ The fines are serious.

✅ And doing nothing is no longer an option.

If you are ready to lead, we invite you to join us on the front line. Together, we'll build the practices, processes, and protections that the rest of the industry will soon have no choice but to follow.

Contact us today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Let's create the future of property professionalism — together.

Act now. Avoid the fines. Lead the market.