The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has welcomed four new organisations into its growing coalition, strengthening its mission to transform the UK homebuying process through the wider adoption of digital property information.
Novus Strategy & Consulting, Armalytix, Survey Shack and Openproperty have all joined the association this month, bringing a shared commitment to tackling the inefficiencies and delays that have long hampered the property transaction process. The new members represent a broad spectrum of the industry, from strategic consultancy and legal tech to self-service surveying and estate agency reform.
Maxine Wilson, chief executive of Openproperty and a veteran of more than 30 years in estate agency, welcomed the development with candid criticism of the current system. “The property transaction process in this country has long been broken. Having spent over 30 years at the coalface of the industry, I can honestly say the experience for consumers has been nothing short of horrific. The stress, the delays, the red tape — it’s simply unacceptable in the 21st century,” she said.
“What excites me about ODPA is their laser focus on tackling the structural issues — not just the symptoms. Real change only comes when we get to the root of the problem, and OPDA is doing just that.”
Among the new members is Survey Shack, a self-survey app offering guided condition assessments aimed at sellers, buyers and agents. Its co-founder, Brett Ray, said the firm’s mission is to equip homeowners with the tools to become sale-ready while providing a new standard for property health checks. “Our aim is to educate homeowners to get sale-ready and enable residents to carry out vital property health checks – in doing so, we improve outcomes for buyers, reduce delays for agents, and provide a new standard that reflects the needs of future generations. OPDA’s mission aligns perfectly with ours,” he said.
Mike Ward, executive chair of Armalytix, a firm focused on streamlining client data gathering for legal services, said the association offers a valuable platform for cross-sector collaboration. “Joining OPDA is a natural extension of this, being able to work with the best minds from across the sector to fulfil the potential of open property data and make it work for all,” he commented.
Claire Van der Zant, chief executive of Novus Strategy & Consulting, stressed the importance of interoperability and the role of Horizontal Digital Integration in driving systemic change. “Being part of the OPDA and contributing to the development of open data and technology standards is not just an opportunity for Novus; it is a vital commitment,” she said.
“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 will be key in driving Horizontal Digital Integration (HDI), unlocking new levels of growth and innovation across the industry.”
The OPDA now counts more than a dozen members, including major mortgage lenders such as NatWest Group, HSBC, Nationwide and Lloyds Banking Group, alongside new digital players like Atom Bank, PEXA, Movera and Coadjute.
Since its inception, the association has produced a suite of open-source standards and data models designed to improve transparency and interoperability across the property transaction chain. Early adopters of OPDA’s digital property packs have reported significant time savings, with some able to reduce the period between mortgage offer and contract exchange to as little as 15 days.
