OPDA comment on HMRC property transactions

31 July 2025

Maria Harris, chair of the Open Property Data Association, says:

“Residential transactions have risen again, suggesting that confidence is beginning to return to the market after the volatility and stamp duty changes earlier this year. Easing mortgage rates, greater product choice, and improving economic sentiment are all helping to support this recovery.

“While it's great that volumes are back on the rise, the experience of buying and selling a home isn't where we need it to be. Consumers and the industry are still stuck navigating a process that is opaque, inefficient, and largely paper-based – and that must change.

“To create a housing market that is fit for purpose, we need to deliver physical and digital housing strategy. Digitising property data at source and making it shareable using open, trusted standards removes the friction that holds transactions back. We need everyone in the industry driving change and adopting new ways of working to sustain this upward trend and create a system that works better for everyone.”