Call to respond with evidence for government’s smart data consultation
Brokers and advisers are being urged by the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) to be part of a wider industry response to the Government’s call for evidence for smart data to help shape the future of property data sharing as the sector goes digital and home buying reforms.
It says the industry has a critical opportunity to shape the future following the government’s newly launched consultation on smart data schemes, which is open until 1 October 2026.
Published by the Department for Business and Trade, the Smart Data Multi-Sector Call for Evidence seeks views on how smart data schemes – which allow consumers and businesses to securely access and share their data – could be developed across a number of sectors, including property. It will help inform future policy development, scheme design and potential regulatory proposals.
Smart data could help in the sharing of property-related information and have a number of benefits, including reducing transaction delays and improving certainty for buyers and sellers.
Transforming property transactions
The latest consultation follows the publication of the Government’s Home Buying and Selling Roadmap, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). That outlines the ambition to more fully digitise the sector and transform property transactions.
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, which leads the development of the technical standards and trust framework that underpin smart property data sharing, is encouraging participation from organisations including those in the property, mortgage, lending and legal 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.”
“We are encouraging every organisation with an interest in shaping the future of property data to read the consultation and submit a response.”
