Home Movers Demand Digital Property Packs as OPDA Reveals Overwhelming Public Support for Reform

Quick Summary

The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) reports that 86% of homebuyers support digital property packs to streamline transactions. This shift toward smart property data aims to eliminate delays, reducing the time from mortgage offer to exchange of contracts to just 15 days for some users.

How Do Digital Property Packs Improve the Homebuying Process?

Digital property packs solve the issue of fragmented information by providing buyers with essential data upfront. According to the OPDA's Future of Homebuying Report 2026, digitalization is the priority for 40% of consumers, outranking faster communication and general process speed. By utilizing open data standards, the industry can ensure that key documents are shared securely and transparently from the start of a transaction.

• 87% consumer confidence in sharing documents via digital packs.
• 78% of movers believe the current system requires fundamental reform.
• 86% of respondents expect the process to improve within five years.

What Lessons Were Learned from Previous Property Reform Attempts?

Smart property data infrastructure now exists to support reforms that failed in previous decades, such as the original Home Information Packs. Maria Harris, Chair of the OPDA, noted: "Home Information Packs were introduced before the technology, data standards and industry infrastructure existed to make them truly effective. Today, the situation is completely different." The current focus is on trustable and shareable data that aligns with the Government’s Home Buying and Selling Roadmap.

How Does OPDA Technology Reduce Transaction Times?

Open data standards developed by the OPDA are already delivering measurable results for the property and mortgage sectors. By implementing secure digital sharing, firms have successfully reduced the window between a mortgage offer and the exchange of contracts to within 15 days. This efficiency is driven by free open-source tools tested across the property industry to ensure technical compatibility with new government mandates.

FF NEWS TAKE:

This announcement definitely moves the needle for the UK property market. The Open Property Data Association is successfully bridging the gap between government policy and technical execution. Reducing the exchange timeline to 15 days via digital property packs is a game-changer for smart property data adoption. If the industry aligns with these open standards, we are looking at the most significant leap in conveyancing efficiency in a generation.