Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024: What It Means for UK Property

Published: 29 July 2026

Property advertisements, agent conversations, service quotations and online reviews can influence decisions involving hundreds of thousands of pounds. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, commonly called the DMCC Act, strengthens the rules businesses must follow when dealing with UK consumers.

What Is the DMCC Act?

The DMCC Act is a wide-ranging UK law covering digital markets, competition and consumer protection. It received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024, but different parts started at different times.

  • 1 January 2025: The digital markets competition regime came into force. This mainly concerns a small number of powerful technology businesses that may be designated as having Strategic Market Status.
  • 6 April 2025: The unfair commercial practices provisions and the CMA’s stronger direct consumer-enforcement powers came into force.
  • 29 July 2026: The rules covering misleading practices, material information, price transparency and fake reviews are already relevant to UK property businesses.

The consumer provisions replaced and updated much of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The Act also gave the Competition and Markets Authority, or CMA, power to investigate and decide certain consumer-law cases directly rather than always starting court proceedings.

The digital-markets part of the Act is mainly aimed at the largest technology firms. For ordinary property users, the most relevant parts are the rules on unfair commercial practices and stronger consumer-law enforcement.

Who Does the Act Cover in the Property Sector?

The rules apply to commercial dealings between a trader and a consumer. A trader is a person or organisation acting for purposes connected with its business. A consumer is normally an individual acting wholly or mainly outside their business.

Depending on the circumstances, traders may include:

  • estate and letting agents;
  • property developers and new-build sales teams;
  • auction houses and modern method of auction providers;
  • buying agents and relocation businesses;
  • professional landlords and property managers;
  • property-report, surveying, removal and maintenance businesses;
  • online property portals and review platforms; and
  • overseas businesses directing property services towards UK consumers.

An individual selling their own home on a one-off basis may not be a trader. However, the estate agent marketing that home commercially will normally be acting as a trader. Developers, professional landlords and regular property businesses are more likely to fall within the trader definition.

An occasional property investor may still be a consumer where property investment is not part of their main business. The position depends on the facts rather than the label used on a form.

How the DMCC Act Affects UK Property Decisions

1. Property listings and verbal claims must not mislead

A commercial practice can include a property portal listing, brochure, email, social media advert, telephone conversation, viewing or follow-up message. It can also include information supplied after a consumer has entered a contract.

The CMA guidance confirms that a decision to view a property can be a transactional decision. This means information may matter before an offer is made. An agent cannot assume that everything important can safely be left for the buyer’s conveyancer to discover months later.

Examples of potentially misleading conduct include:

  • describing a property as having three bedrooms when one room is not reasonably usable as a bedroom;
  • giving inaccurate information about comparable sales or market demand;
  • calling a property freehold when an estate-management charge still applies;
  • making unsupported claims about development potential, planning permission or rental income; or
  • presenting technically correct information in a way that creates a deceptive overall impression.

2. Material information should be provided at the right time

Material information means information an average consumer needs to make an informed decision. Hiding it, presenting it unclearly or providing it too late may amount to a misleading omission.

There was no final statutory checklist designed specifically for every residential property listing as at 29 July 2026. The information required depends on the property, the consumer decision and the circumstances. Government was developing further property-sector guidance following its material information consultation.

Information likely to matter in many transactions may include:

  • price, tenure and the remaining lease term;
  • service charges, ground rent or estate-management charges;
  • council tax or domestic rates;
  • property type, construction and room descriptions;
  • parking, access, rights, easements and restrictions;
  • utilities, heating, broadband and drainage arrangements;
  • known flood, coastal erosion, mining or building-safety risks;
  • known structural defects, damp, asbestos or Japanese knotweed; and
  • planning, listed-building or conservation-area restrictions.

Important: These are practical examples, not a complete statutory checklist. The relevant information can differ between properties. Early disclosure also does not replace conveyancing searches, title checks, a suitable property survey or specialist inspections.

3. Mandatory fees should not appear late

The Act strengthens protection against drip pricing, where an attractive initial price is shown and unavoidable charges are introduced later.

When a business gives consumers details of a product or service and its price, this will often be an invitation to purchase. Any mandatory charges that can reasonably be calculated should normally be included in the total price. If the amount cannot reasonably be calculated in advance, the calculation method should be shown clearly and prominently.

This may be relevant to a property report, buying-agent package, auction reservation arrangement, tenant service, relocation package or another property-related service. For example, a compulsory administration or reservation fee should not be hidden until the consumer is ready to pay.

Optional extras can be shown separately, but businesses should make it clear that they are genuinely optional. The CMA’s price-transparency guidance explains how mandatory and variable charges should be presented.

4. Fake and misleading reviews are prohibited

Reviews can strongly influence the choice of an estate agent, conveyancing service, surveyor, buying agent or tradesperson. The DMCC Act bans submitting or commissioning fake reviews and reviews that conceal an incentive.

A business publishing reviews must also take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove fake or misleading reviews. Cherry-picking reviews or presenting review information in a misleading way can also create legal problems.

Consumers should still check whether reviews describe the same service, whether negative comments receive credible responses and whether the reviewer appears to have used the business. The official CMA fake reviews guidance explains the duties applying to review publishers.

5. False urgency and aggressive selling can be unlawful

Genuine competition for a property can require a quick response. However, a business should not invent urgency or use harassment, coercion or undue influence to push a consumer into a decision.

Warning signs may include false claims that an offer expires immediately, inaccurate statements about competing buyers, repeated unwanted contact or pressure to use a connected service before an offer will be considered.

A genuine deadline, verified competing offer or developer reservation period is not automatically unfair. The concern is whether the information is false, misleading or used in an aggressive way that affects the consumer’s decision.

6. The Act works alongside other property laws

The DMCC Act does not replace conveyancing law, tenancy legislation, the Estate Agents Act 1979, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or regional rules on tenant fees, property reports and housing standards.

For example, unfair contract terms are still assessed mainly under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The DMCC Act strengthens enforcement but does not turn every service problem into an automatic right to cancel a purchase.

The Act also contains future subscription-contract requirements. As at 29 July 2026, official guidance stated that those provisions were expected to come into force no earlier than autumn 2026. Existing rules on fair terms, clear pricing and cancellation information continued to apply.

Practical Example: Important Leasehold Details Appear Late

A buyer views a leasehold flat advertised for £325,000. The listing describes it as affordable and low maintenance but does not mention that the lease has 68 years remaining, the annual service charge is £2,400 or major roof works are being planned.

The buyer pays for a mortgage valuation and starts conveyancing before receiving these details. Whether consumer law has been breached would depend on the evidence and circumstances. However, lease length, recurring charges and known major works could clearly affect whether an average buyer views the property, makes an offer or proceeds at the agreed price.

The buyer should save the original listing, request the missing information in writing and ask their conveyancer how the issues affect mortgageability, value and the proposed transaction.

Checks to Make Before Committing Money

  1. Save the evidence: Keep the listing, brochure, emails, messages and screenshots showing the claims made.
  2. Request material information: Ask for tenure, lease terms, recurring charges, known works, restrictions, construction and important risks.
  3. Ask for the complete price: Request all mandatory fees, taxes charged by the provider and third-party payments connected with the service.
  4. Check urgent claims: Ask for deadlines, competing offers and reservation conditions in writing.
  5. Review connected services: Ask whether a recommended professional is independent and whether a referral payment is involved.
  6. Verify professional claims: Check memberships, qualifications, regulatory status and redress-scheme membership.
  7. Continue independent checks: Use an appropriate conveyancer, surveyor or other specialist where the property requires professional investigation.

What to Do If You Think You Were Misled

Start by writing to the business. Explain what was said or omitted, when it happened, how it affected your decision and what outcome you are requesting. Attach copies of relevant evidence rather than sending original documents.

If the complaint concerns an estate agent, complete the agent’s internal complaints procedure before approaching its approved redress scheme. Property businesses and complaint routes vary, so check the organisation’s terms and scheme membership.

For consumer advice, residents of England and Wales can contact Citizens Advice, Scotland uses Advice Direct Scotland and Northern Ireland uses Consumerline. These services may pass appropriate information to Trading Standards. The official GOV.UK consumer rights page provides the current contact routes.

The CMA generally focuses on market-wide or significant consumer-law concerns rather than resolving every individual property dispute. If contracts have been signed, money has been lost or a transaction is at risk, consider obtaining legal advice promptly.

Do not assume a breach automatically cancels a sale, tenancy or service contract. The available remedy depends on the conduct, evidence, contract, loss suffered and the law applying to the transaction.

Common Misunderstandings

  • The DMCC Act only covers technology companies: Incorrect. The Strategic Market Status regime targets major digital firms, but the consumer-protection rules apply widely to traders, including property businesses.
  • Every missing property detail is automatically unlawful: Not necessarily. Some information is always required in an invitation to purchase, while other information depends on whether an average consumer needs it for the relevant decision.
  • A disclaimer allows an agent to publish inaccurate information: A general disclaimer does not automatically correct a false statement or a deceptive overall presentation.
  • Early disclosure replaces professional checks: It does not. Buyers still need suitable legal, survey and financial checks.
  • The seller’s agent has no duties towards buyers: The agent represents the seller, but its commercial practices towards buyers must still comply with consumer law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the DMCC Act apply to estate and letting agents?

Yes. The consumer-protection provisions apply to commercial practices by traders, and the legal definition of a product includes the sale or lease of land. An agent marketing a home or tenancy must avoid misleading actions, material omissions and aggressive practices.

What material information should a property listing include?

There was no final statutory checklist specific to every property as at 29 July 2026. The listing should provide information an average consumer needs to make an informed decision, which may include tenure, lease length, charges, construction, parking, restrictions and known risks.

Are mandatory property-service fees allowed?

Businesses can charge lawful mandatory fees, but they should normally include calculable mandatory charges in the total advertised price. If a variable charge cannot reasonably be calculated, the business should explain prominently how the consumer can calculate it.

Does the DMCC Act ban fake property reviews?

Yes. Submitting or commissioning fake reviews and hiding incentives are banned practices. Businesses that publish reviews must also take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove fake or misleading reviews.

Can I cancel a property transaction if information was withheld?

Not automatically. Your options depend on the information, evidence, stage of the transaction, contract and applicable law. Seek legal advice quickly if contracts have been signed, a deposit is at risk or you have suffered a financial loss.

Where can I complain about misleading property marketing?

Complain to the business first and keep written evidence. An estate-agent complaint may later go to its approved redress scheme. Consumer advice is available through Citizens Advice, Advice Direct Scotland or Consumerline in Northern Ireland.

Final Takeaway

The DMCC Act gives UK property consumers stronger protection against misleading information, hidden mandatory fees, fake reviews and unfair pressure. Its practical value begins before a contract is signed because deciding to view a property, request a service or make an offer may already be a transactional decision.

Use the Act as an additional protection, not as a replacement for careful property checks. Ask important questions early, request answers in writing and involve an appropriately qualified professional when legal, structural, mortgage or technical judgement is needed.

Sources and Further Reading