New accreditation programme launched as OPDA membership expands
The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has added four new members to its growing network of organisations working to modernise the UK property transaction process.
Novus Strategy & Consulting, Armalytix, Survey Shack, and Openproperty are the latest to join the association, which aims to streamline the homebuying journey through the use of open digital property data.
Openproperty, led by chief executive Maxine Wilson, joins with over 30 years of experience in the estate agency sector. Wilson said she has long observed inefficiencies in the UK’s homebuying process. “The property transaction process in this country has long been broken… The stress, the delays, the red tape — it’s simply unacceptable in the 21st century,” she said. She lauded OPDA’s focus on addressing systemic issues, rather than short-term fixes.
Survey Shack, which has developed the UK’s first self-survey app for residential property, is also aligning with OPDA’s mission. The app provides guided assessments for sellers, buyers and agents. “Survey Shack was built to challenge the status quo of property surveys,” said the firm’s co-founder Brett Ray. “Our aim is to educate homeowners to get sale-ready and enable residents to carry out vital property health checks.”
Armalytix, a company using smart technology to gather and verify client data for the legal sector, also joins the association. Executive chair Mike Ward said their work with legal firms is part of a broader aim to harness open data. “Joining OPDA is a natural extension of this… to fulfil the potential of open property data and make it work for all,” he added.
Novus Strategy & Consulting, a digital consultancy, supports stakeholders across the property ecosystem. Chief executive Claire Van der Zant said joining OPDA reflects a shared commitment to improve property transactions through interoperability. “With a unique vantage point across the property ecosystem, Novus is in a prime position to support OPDA’s efforts… facilitating the adoption of these standards,” she said.
The association now includes a number of high-profile industry players such as NatWest Group, HSBC, Nationwide, Lloyds Banking Group, Atom bank, PEXA, Movera and Coadjute.
In addition to expanding its membership, OPDA recently launched an accreditation programme. This initiative encourages members to self-certify alignment with the association’s core principles, including the ethical use of data and support for open standards.
“By introducing this accreditation, we’re giving organisations a way to demonstrate their leadership in transforming the future of property data,” said OPDA chair Maria Harris (pictured).
Since its launch in 2023, OPDA has published open standards that have been adopted across various segments of the industry. Its digital property pack standards have reportedly helped reduce the time between mortgage offer and contract exchange to as little as 15 days.
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