OPDA comment on property transactions

27 February 2026

Maria Harris, chair of the Open Property Data Association, on this morning’s HMRC property transaction data:

“The fall in transaction activity in January was unexpected and suggests that some of the UK’s economic issues are impacting home moving decisions in the short-term. A buoyant housing market is important for the wider economy, providing a boost for lenders, brokers, estate agents, proptech firms and conveyancers, and so it’s important that confidence returns quickly to the market.

“At the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), we believe the fall in activity highlights the urgent need to modernise the underlying property data ecosystem. We know people are more likely to move when the process is more seamless.

“That is why establishing a smart data trust framework for the property sector is crucial. A secure, governed trust model will enable trusted participants to access standardised, interoperable, digitised data in real time. This would reduce fall-through rates, cut transaction times, improve fraud mitigation, and enhance transparency for consumers.

“A well-designed smart data framework would not only support higher transaction volumes but make the system more resilient, efficient, and equitable. As the market gathers momentum, now is the moment to ensure our property data infrastructure is fit for purpose and ready to support sustainable growth.”