Evolving NLIS: Our Proof of Concept project to improve the Official Searches market gets underway

Work is well underway on our proof of concept (PoC) to explore the viability of a new Framework for Official Searches. Our market research work over the Spring to understand the needs of the Official Searches market showed us that all parties in the home buying and selling space were interested in this concept. They wanted to see more about how a new Framework might work in practice, and the benefits it could bring to them.  

With this in mind, we are not just exploring a technical framework — we are looking ahead to the future of the Official Searches market itself. Our aim is to create something that meets the long-term needs of those who rely on official property data, while laying the foundations for a more flexible and resilient system.  

As we move forward, a key focus of the PoC is understanding the technical, commercial, and business requirements of a future framework. We’ve set up a sounding board group that includes a cross-section of stakeholders from our earlier research who will be critical to the success of a new Framework and who will use it daily if it goes forward: data providers (including local authorities), search providers and local government IT suppliers. This group will meet frequently online over the summer. We’re also listening carefully to others with a stake in the future of the market, including central government departments, finance sector representatives, and data service providers. 

Crucially, the framework we are developing will benefit consumers. It will help bring greater certainty and assurance to home buyers and sellers by ensuring that the data underpinning property transactions is up to date, accurate, and delivered with provenance, meaning it comes directly from trusted central and local government sources. 

Ultimately, this is about making the system work better for everyone — and that starts with ensuring consumers can make decisions based on information they can trust. 

Our PoC will conclude in the Autumn when we announce our next steps.

If you would like to contribute to our work, please contact me: fiona.barron@land-data.org.uk

Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash