CoPSO Annual Conference summary
CoPSO Conference 2026
With a record attendance, CoPSO Chair, Allison Bradbury, welcomed members, stakeholders, sponsors and supporters to this year's conference celebrating 20 years of the Search Code. The conference focused on whether the UK home buying and selling market is ready for transformation, with a strong emphasis on data, digitisation, collaboration, and consumer outcomes.
Strategic Direction (CoPSO)
Allison then gave an update on CoPSO's strategy and positioning itself as the leading voice for property data, working closely with government and industry to:
- Improve data access, quality, and standards
- Drive innovation and digital adoption
- Support policy and regulatory reform
- Create a faster, more transparent property transaction process
Key Industry Challenges
Across sessions, several systemic issues were consistently highlighted: - Limited and inconsistent access to local authority data
- Rising costs and new charging models
- Delays and backlogs in services
- Fragmented systems and IT failures
- Increasing transaction times and fall-through rates
- These challenges indicate a market under pressure and in need of coordinated, structural change.
Digital Transformation & Data (OPDA)
A central theme was the shift toward a fully digital property ecosystem:
- Development of digital property packs (BASPI and beyond)
- Use of APIs, data standards, and trust frameworks
- Expansion of open, interoperable property data
HM Land Registry and industry initiatives are already delivering: - Significant time and cost savings
- New data pilots (e.g. building control, highways)
- Progress toward a unified digital infrastructure
Compliance & Consumer Trust
The PCCB continues to strengthen compliance standards and promote trust.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) reported: - Increased complaint volumes
- Improved early resolution processes
Key message: clear communication and data transparency are critical to managing consumer expectations and reducing disputes.
Property Market Reality
The market is not depressed, but is adjusting: - High supply levels
- Moderating demand
- Longer transaction timelines (~7 months average)
- Key insights:Accurate pricing early significantly improves outcomes
- Transactions are increasingly slow due to process inefficiencies
- The market remains cyclical but predictable
Leadership & Industry Alignment
Panel discussions emphasised:
The need for alignment across government, lenders, conveyancers, and data providers. Use of incentives and regulation to drive adoption of reforms. Ensuring speed improvements do not compromise quality or compliance
Overall Takeaways
- Data is the critical enabler of transformation in the property market.
- The system is currently constrained by access issues, fragmentation, and inefficiencies.
- Digitisation is progressing, but industry-wide adoption is uneven.
- Collaboration between public and private sectors is essential to deliver change.
- Improving the customer experience requires balancing speed, transparency, and trust.
- The industry is on the path to transformation, but success depends on coordinated action, improved data infrastructure, and sustained collaboration across all stakeholders.
A special thanks to our Headline Sponsor - LPG, sponsors - Stewart Title and Howden and supporter HM Land Registry.
