Buying and selling residential property in the UK has long been fraught with frustration. The average transaction still takes more than four months according to recent research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), and industry estimates suggest one in four sales fall through before completion. For buyers and sellers, these delays mean uncertainty, additional costs and unnecessary stress. For professionals across the sector, they create inefficiencies and reputational risks.
One solution has been in plain sight for years: providing upfront information about a property at the very start of the process. When buyers, sellers, agents, conveyancers, lenders and surveyors all have access to the same data upfront, the whole transaction moves more smoothly. Yet, despite the availability of digital tools and data standards, the industry continues to struggle with adoption. The challenge is less about technology and more about culture and collaboration.
Leading the way
Forward-thinking estate agents are already seeing the benefits of embracing upfront information. By giving buyers detailed property reports from day one, whether through online dashboards or downloadable packs, they enable more informed decisions, reduce the likelihood of surprises later on, and even use the information as a differentiator to win instructions.
For sellers, upfront information can highlight key issues early, such as flood risk and conservation area restrictions or listing status, that could affect valuation. This not only informs more accurate pricing but also builds trust in the agent’s guidance.
But too often, the flow of information stops once an offer is made. Conveyancers, who should be among the main beneficiaries, frequently don’t use the data. Some argue that the information may be outdated by the time they receive it or that it duplicates searches they would order anyway. This mindset misses the bigger picture; upfront information is not about replacing formal searches but about enabling the whole process to start from a stronger, more transparent position.
Evidence of impact
The benefits of upfront information are not hypothetical; they are proven. Home Sale Pack, another OPDA member, provides a digital tool that pulls together all required legal documents upfront. Home Sale Pack reduces the time taken from offer to completion, with a 43% fall-through reduction and 100% of its sellers saying that it significantly reduced the stress of selling their home.
This demonstrates that when the industry engages with upfront information, transactions become quicker, smoother and less prone to failure.
Creating value across the ecosystem
Upfront information doesn’t just benefit buyers and sellers – it can impact every party in the chain.
- Conveyancers can prepare earlier, identify potential issues sooner and reduce the back and forth that slows down transactions.
- Brokers can provide their clients with greater transparency of a property’s attributes and risks to help them make more informed decisions and identify the right lender.
- Lenders gain confidence that key risks are being addressed upfront, strengthening their decision-making and offer certainty.
- Surveyors arrive at properties with vital context, such as whether a building is listed, the nature of any extensions or comparable pricing, which makes their assessments more efficient and reliable.
By sharing the same set of verified data from day one, duplication is reduced and trust is enhanced. The real breakthrough will come when barriers fall away and all parties start to view upfront information as a collective asset, not a threat to traditional practices.
Collaboration, not confrontation
The answer to unlocking these benefits lies in collaboration. When agents, conveyancers, lenders, surveyors and brokers all work from the same data, delivered through common standards, everyone wins. Buyers and sellers get certainty, professionals save time and reduce risk, and the market as a whole becomes more resilient.
The tools to transform property transactions already exist. Digital data standards, upfront information packs and platforms for sharing information are in place. What’s needed now is a shift in culture: a willingness across the industry to embrace collaboration and use the data for the benefit of all.
If we succeed, the reward is clear – a faster, more transparent and trusted property market that serves consumers better and makes the UK a global benchmark for efficiency. The question is no longer whether we have the tools to make this change, but whether the industry is ready to seize the opportunity.
Christian Woodhouse is head of partnerships at Sprift and a founding member of the Open Property Data Association
12 responses
What it goes to show is that open data and whizz-bang technology isn’t enough
Indeed, arguably, none of the purported benefits of open data or yet more technology are in fact necessary because material information available to any prospective buyer could be readily available without it.
It’s not an “industry” issue but an estate agent and seller issue. Estate agents won’t suggest it because they fear losing the listing and sellers won’t pay for it because they don’t feel the benefit
What’s required is legislation
However that requires someone at the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government to take an interest and take charge of reform of the property transaction process.
Too much chat
Too much “jam tomorrow”
Not enough action
I absolutely agree that legislation holds the keys to digital transactions but government are not committing to that so as an industry we need to collaborate and solve this issue.
Digital data is not the silver bullet but it will go a long way to speeding up the process, which naturally reduces fall throughs.
A more certain transaction leads to happier, and less stressed buyers / sellers.
Digital transactions will have fewer legal enquiries and more automation of mundane tasks. Not to mention far greater transparency.
You will not have “fewer legal enquiries” – I have got seller’s solicitors that should know what they are doing, yet don’t seem to think providing a lease or a contract forms part of the legal information. The tick boxers are not leaving the platform any time soon. You will still have stressed buyers and sellers where such organisations are involved as they don’t know how to communicate with their clients – I know you will say AI can ‘automate’ this – but do you really want to be on the receiving end of an unqualified chat bot? What is required is a human with interpersonal skills and knowing when not to take rubbish from other people.
I’m not sure if you really know what a digital transaction looks like or what is capable with data. You also clearly do not know how accurate AI is today, and I imagine you can’t imagine how advanced it will be in 12 months time.
There is absolutely a place for human interaction and interpersonal skills but not how we think of it today.
Yet more fluff from an organisation that refuses to answer my question on liability. Have the govt actually considered the issue is not upfront information it is actually a lack of understanding on the part of the public that they should not be using “recommended” solicitors handing back large referral fees and the impact that Fleecehold and leasehold are having on transactions?
LPE1 packs and FME1 packs are only valid for day of receipt – information changes and there is no way that the information hidden in these packs are “transparent”. Who would want to sign up to be landed with a huge bill?
There will always be a a leasehold, Fleecehold or shared ownership in the chain. So even if nothing wrong with a particular property delays are caused by juggling chains and people simply cannot afford to rent as most rentals are fixed term (& perhaps not suitable for people with pets or children). Wake up to reality and the building safety crisis.
Zahrah, If all the information that is required in an LPE1 or an FME1 was held digitally, it doesn’t go out of date! Exception reports would be automatically created when something changed.
Yes there are other issues with real estate transactions but that’s not covered by my article. They will be resolved by someone else, some with those expertise.
What I would like to know is how the geniuses at OPDA are going to encourage sellers to part with considerable sums of money, especially if the property is leasehold, to set up these Home Sale Packs. In my considerable experience, sellers do not want to pay money upfront and until that mindset is altered nothing will change.
I have two friends at the moment whose properties have been for sale for in excess of four months, and both parties are now considering withdrawing from the market. In an era of upfront information they would be losing money if they took that decision. Sellers will always have that worse case scenario in the back of their minds. I think it is more likely to be the case that if sellers have to pay out money to produce packs they are less likely to want to market their properties rather than suddenly assume they are going to sell remarkably quickly if they have one,
Moreover I know plenty of people who were bitten financially by HIPS, which is what these essentially are. They would never want to get involved with anything similar again.
As for collaboration not confrontation, why is it every day I see comments from technophiles trying to impose their ideas on conveyancers that are ill thought out, rude and offensive? Surely it would be better to collaborate by actually speaking to proper conveyancers before putting out press releases that serve only to antagonise? Because they usually lack accuracy anyway?
David, buyers also want certainty, and that can be better achieved by digital data upfront. If a property was exchange ready, that shows commitment on the seller’s behalf. Plus, it can be written in to the contract that the buyers refunds the cost of the pack on completions. I think you’ll find that there is a mindset change because it’s proven that upfront information works.
It sounds like your friend’s properties could be overpriced. Either way, digital data doesn’t expire so they will not be out of pocket, when anything changes in the pack, an update will be provided.
This is not HIPS v2. This is a whole new kettle of fish. Totally different, which shows you don’t understand the capabilities of digital data.
Hmm I am not sure you understand the complexities of dealing with clients. The human touch will aways trump digital technology. Should anyone need an example there are Solicitors who claim to bring technology to conveyancing. Yet to deal with them is extremely difficult because they have never invested in that most important resource – experienced competent staff. There is no substitute for that and people who have never worked in the conveyancing profession (not an industry) just do not get it and never will that is the problem.
“Collaboration, not confrontation” – Interesting point to make considering the attitude of some of the replies to the comments made.
Maybe if the negative attitude of the commentators was more collaborative, then confrontation wouldn’t be needed.
It’s the same old voices, arguing against change, never offering any solutions themselves, just being negative. If for once they opened their minds, the conveyancing process and industry wouldn’t be in the mess it is.
David, there is absolutely a place for humans in the process and dealing with clients is one of those, but lots of the admin tasks or reading of documents/data, can be handled with technology and automation.
I also agree that the profession is losing valuable expertise and knowledge, but you have to question why that is. One argument is that consumers get very frustrated by the lack of transparency and timely updates, something digitisation could solve. The consumer then takes it out on the conveyancer because that is the part of the process that takes the longest or holds the most frustration. Conveyancer feel undervalued, stressed and over worked. A lot of which could be removed by technology, freeing up time for the interpersonal skills and client interaction.
Maybe those embarrassing technology haven’t got it quite right, but they will, and then their market share will increase rapidly because buyers want to use technology and expect their conveyancer to as well.