The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) is calling on firms to respond to the government's newly launched consultation on Smart Data schemes and help shape the future design of property data sharing.
The Smart Data Multi-Sector Call for Evidence seeks views on how Smart Data schemes could be developed across a number of sectors, including property, and will inform future policy development, scheme design and potential regulatory proposals.
Smart Data allows consumers and businesses to securely access, share and use their data through common standards and trust frameworks.
For the property market, Smart Data has the potential to power the secure and timely sharing of property-related information, reduce transaction delays, improve certainty for consumers and lay the foundations for a fully digital and connected home buying and home ownership experience.
The consultation comes shortly after the publication of the government's Home Buying and Selling Roadmap, which sets out a vision for transforming property transactions through greater digitisation, interoperability and mandated standards for data sharing.
While the roadmap focuses on improving the home buying and selling process, the Smart Data programme is broader in scope, exploring how trusted data sharing frameworks can support a wide range of property-related use cases and services across the entire property ecosystem.
The OPDA is encouraging participation from organisations across the property, mortgage, lending, legal, surveying, valuation, insurance, conveyancing, technology and public sectors.
Maria Harris, chair of the OPDA, said: "The government is seeking evidence on how Smart Data should be applied across a number of sectors, including property, and it is vital that our industry engages with that process.
"Too often we hear stakeholders say they weren't aware that consultations were taking place or that decisions were made without sufficient industry input. This is the opportunity to make your voice heard.
"The Home Buying and Selling Roadmap has established a clear direction of travel for property transactions. Smart Data is one of the mechanisms that turns that vision into reality by enabling secure and trusted access to the information that consumers, professionals and organisations need.
"Property is a complex ecosystem and there are many organisations, working groups, industry bodies and government departments involved in different aspects of data, digitisation and reform. We recognise that this can sometimes feel confusing for stakeholders.
"What is important to understand is that the government's Smart Data programme provides the overarching legislative, policy and governance framework through which data-sharing schemes will be launched. The work being undertaken across the property sector – including the delivery of the Home Buying and Selling Roadmap and the development of smart property data standards – can help inform how those Smart Data schemes are designed and implemented.
"That is why we are encouraging every organisation with an interest in shaping the future of property data to read the consultation and submit a response."
