Sales Protocol Toolkit

Estate agents and vendors need to work together to get all the relevant documentation, photographs and sales particulars ready. They also need to consider any other remedial action to get the property both market ready and sale ready.

Vendors who may not have sold a house for a long time can often be confused by the questions in the Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ). Work with them to complete the PIQ as omissions and inaccuracies often lead to conveyancers raising queries which result in delays to the transaction. This in turn creates frustration for your vendors, delays payments and increases the likelihood of a transaction falling through.

Download the toolkit

Estate agents who are using the toolkit have reported a reduction in transaction times, down to seven weeks in some cases. 

Use these three toolkit documents alongside Land Registry title documents and plans, details of chain progression, sales particulars and proof of funds and/or a mortgage agreement in principle.

Propertymark Professional Information Questionnaire for sales
28 Jan 2020
Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) for sales

Propertymark’s Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) is a credible structure to underpin the work property agents do with their clients to gather information.

Propertymark's Memorandum of Sale Checklist
19 Nov 2019
Memorandum of Sale Checklist

Stakeholders from across the sector formed the Transaction Reform Group to find ways of speeding up the buying and selling process. A Memorandum of Sale is sent to all parties as soon as a sale is agreed in principle.

Propertymark Declaration of Offer form
03 Apr 2020
Declaration of offer form

Have the buyer complete a written declaration of offer rather than accepting it verbally so that you have clarification of their financial position and circumstances of selling so that this can then be shared with all parties, excluding confidential information, making everything transparent.

Donut chart representing 73%

73% say providing information up front results in a slight or significant increase in speed

Donut chart representing 64%

64% say producing information up front results in a slight or significant reduction in the number of failed sales

Training courses
Family looking at a laptop on sofa
Navigating consumer protection regulations

Stay compliant with this essential course on consumer protection regulations for property agents.

Agent walking to property with a family
Consumer protection regulations and how to comply

This course provides practical approaches to manage risk and ensure Consumer Protection Regulations compliance in the sales and letting agency sector. The penalties for non-compliance are significant both via prosecution but also redress scheme awards.

Houses on curved street
Material information part B: How to read the room

Estate Agents are now required to follow the advice and recommendations contained in the guidance by NTSELAT under 'Part B Material Information' published in November 2023. This guidance includes measurements, types of rooms and room sizes.

News articles
Estate agent stood outside of branch
09 May 2025
Material Information guidance withdrawn as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act takes over

The property sector has seen a significant regulatory shift with the quiet withdrawal of the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) Material Information Guidance. This change coincides with the enforcement of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act) on 6 April 2025 which supersedes the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) and has shifted power over consumer protections to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Japanese Knotweed
05 Mar 2025
Data shows Japanese knotweed consistently mistaken

Harmless plants, including Bindweed and dogwood, are frequently mistaken as Japanese knotweed, leading to unnecessary alarm and potential complications during property transactions, and further education is needed to help with identification.

Unhappy couple with boxed up home
19 Feb 2025
Warning for estate agents after High Court case of misleading details

The buyers of a £32.5 million mansion sued the seller after he failed to give honest information about the state of the property in pre-sale enquiries, particularly, a serious moth infestation. As a result, the court ordered the sale to be reversed, with the buyers receiving a refund of the purchase price plus £4m in damages, including compensation for ruined items.

Lit up sales sign.
08 Nov 2024
What estate agents need to know about the Renters Rights' Bill

Agents working with landlords who want to sell a property with sitting tenants must be well-versed advising clients effectively on realistic pricing and the potential impact on the buyer pool, and with tenancy reform at the heart of the Renters’ Rights Bill, watertight paperwork and record-keeping will be more important than ever, for buyers, sellers and agents.


Introducing HIPLA for quicker transactions

Lack of speed in transactions is an ever increasing problem for members so we are pleased to offer HIPLA's support to help speed up property sales.

HIPLA's distinctive platform combines our Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) with the Law Society’s transaction protocol forms: TA6, TA7 and TA10. They have removed the duplication between these forms by pre-populating data where possible and have transformed the process into an extremely easy to use, consumer friendly mobile platform.

It uniquely satisfies an agent’s CPR obligations whilst also fully completing (and signing) the necessary transaction protocol forms required by conveyancers.

Visit the Hipla website to find out more: hipla.co.uk
or email: [email protected]