PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Reform Home Buying so Agreed Sales Require A Deposit & Binding Commitment
We call on the Government to reform home buying in England and Wales so that when a sale is agreed, the buyer must place a deposit. If either party withdraws for reasons other than genuine exceptional circumstances, they lose the deposit.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
21
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 21/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 21/100,000
Background
This would bring the system closer to Scotlands where accepted offers are binding, reducing failed sales and giving buyers and sellers more certainty.
In England and Wales nearly a third of sales collapse after an offer is accepted causing wasted money, delays and stress. A binding commitment at the point of sale would:
Cut the number of failed transactions
Protect both buyer and seller form wasted costs
Make the process faster, fairer and more reliable
Its time to modernise home buying