13th July 2026
REINTRODUCTION OF BILL TO SPEED UP BUYING AND SELLLING OF PROPERTIES – POSITIVE STEP FOR CONSUMERS – IPAV
IPAV, the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers, has today welcomed the reintroduction to the Dáil order paper of the Seller’s Legal Pack for Property Buyers Bill by Independent Dublin Bay North TD Barry Heneghan, which is designed to speed up conveyancing, the legal transfer of title from seller to buyer.
The institute says the Bill:
· Marks a very positive step for buyers and sellers of homes, and will save them unnecessary delays and unexpected and unplanned for costs;
· Mirrors a similar initiative recently undertaken by the British government;
· Supports recommendations by the ESRI and CCPC.
ESRI research on homebuying in Ireland published in February found: “Delays were the most commonly reported stressor for both buyers and sellers, with conveyancing delays the single most frequently identified problem following a sale being agreed.”
Last year the CCPC (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) found that delays in conveyancing, was “one of the most commonly reported problems during residential property transactions.”
Genevieve McGuirk, Chief Executive of IPAV says the best practice charter, published by the government in September last, to address conveyancing delays, sets the right principles and defines good professional standards. But she says: “While the direction of travel here is good, it lacks the weight of legislative underpinning, something that the UK has now recognized.”
“Such voluntary measures have, so far, not improved the situation. Statutory backing for upfront information requirements is now needed, as referenced in both the ESRI and CCPC studies.”
Ms McGuirk said IPAV had undertaken a survey of members in April 2026 that showed conveyancing delays had, in fact, increased. In April 2026 it was found the period from sale agreed to signed contracts was 10.8 weeks, with a further 5.7 weeks from contract signing to close of sale. This compared with July 2023 when it took 10.4 and 5.3 weeks respectively.
It’s notable, she said, that the British government says one in three sales under the existing system have fallen through. “This is precisely what we have found, and most frequently these issues involve such things as title or rights of way, all of which should be resolved before a property goes on the market. Otherwise, it involves expense, frustration and heartache.”
The Sellers Legal Pack Bill would:
· Create a statutory obligation for a seller’s pack to be prepared in advance of a property going on the market. This would contain documents such as contracts for sale, planning documents and architect’s certificate of compliance with planning and building regulations;
· Prevent prospective buyers making offers and incurring the expense of engaging the services of engineers and surveyors for properties that end up being withdrawn from sale because of issues around title, rights of way and other such issues that often emerge late in the process;
· Make market wide a practice that already applies in online public auctions and public auction sales, at no extra cost to consumers since it merely front-loads a process that is currently elongated without justification.