Digital home-moving property pack wins the Smart Data Challenge Prize

The innovative Digital Sale Ready Packs, a joint development by Moverly and Open Data Property Association, has clinched the top prize in the Smart Data Challenge. This pioneering system aims to streamline the often cumbersome homebuying process, integrating diverse data sources into a cohesive and transparent format. The initiative, proudly leading the charge in seamless data utilisation, was recognised by the Department for Business and Trade.

In a progressive stride, Smart Data emerges as a catalyst in simplifying data access and sharing between individuals, businesses, and third-party service providers, paving the way for innovative solutions. The Award-winning prototype consolidates crucial data such as land registry titles, EPC ratings, council tax and utility information, creating a single source of truth for all stakeholders involved – from sellers and buyers to conveyancers and lenders.

The packs, crucially designed for reuse, empower the seller’s conveyancer to pre-emptively address issues like title deed discrepancies. Buyers benefit from straightforward summaries with intuitive risk indicators, while conveyancers gain access to verified data sans redundancy. Surveyors utilise the packs to seamlessly populate reports, whereas lenders can swiftly ascertain mortgage acceptance through trusted data.

If adopted more broadly, Moverly estimates a significant reduction in transaction time from 22 to under 12 weeks, while cutting fall-through rates below 10%. This shift could mean cost savings of £1,000-£2,000 per household, and nationwide efficiencies amounting to upwards of £2-3 billion annually. Ultimately, this approach promises a faster, more transparent, and less stressful home-moving experience for everyday consumers.

Minister for Digital Economy, Baroness Lloyd of Effra, applauded the innovative spirit of the competition, underscoring the tangible economic benefits of Smart Data and the efforts of Moverly. The Challenge not only stimulates dynamic advancements in digital solutions but also aids in shedding excess regulatory constraints from the landscape.

Two additional projects, Nigel by Beyond Encryption and Open Transport, were acknowledged with runner-up titles and £25,000 prizes. Nigel offers a consolidated storage solution for individuals managing numerous data accounts, easing logistics across sectors. Meanwhile, Open Transport provides users with valuable insights into their travel activities, empowering eco-friendly and economical travel choices.

Supported by Challenge Works, in collaboration with the Open Data Institute, bigspark and NayaOne, the initiative awarded ten finalists £600,000 in total to explore and test groundbreaking data-driven solutions through a bespoke Smart Data sandbox environment.

The programme ultimately serves to highlight potential barriers in the innovative landscape, helping to pinpoint and unlock the essential data needed to push the sector into a future brimming with opportunity.