Material Information on Property Listings: A 2026 Guide

"Material information" is now front and centre of UK property listings. The original Trading Standards (NTSELAT) guidance was withdrawn in April 2025 when the DMCC Act replaced the CPRs, and the CMA has not yet published sector-specific replacement guidance — but the Parts A/B/C framework remains the industry benchmark, and the portals still expect it. Here's a plain-English guide.

The three parts

• Part A — required on every listing: the price, tenure (and for leasehold, the basics), and council tax band (or rates for Scotland/NI).
• Part B — required for most properties: property type, construction materials, number and types of rooms, utilities (electricity, water, heating, broadband, mobile signal), and parking.
• Part C — required where it applies: anything affecting the property, such as flood risk, restrictions, rights and easements, planning permissions, accessibility features and known building safety issues.

Why it matters

If a listing omits material information, it can be misleading by omission — a breach of the DMCC Act. The responsibility sits with the agent who publishes. Getting this right protects both your client and your firm.

Where the description fits

The structured portal fields capture much of Parts A and B. Your written description should complement them — never contradict them, and never imply something the facts don't support. If the EPC is D, don't call the home "highly energy efficient".

A practical habit

Keep a short source note for each material fact: where it came from and when it was confirmed. If a claim is ever challenged, you can show the reasonable steps you took. This is exactly why writing from verified facts — rather than letting an AI guess — matters so much.

ListSmith only writes from the details you enter, so your description never adds a material claim you haven't checked. See how it works.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Check the latest portal requirements and any new CMA guidance for your situation.