Research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) found that the respondents who were under the impression that digital property information was widely available believed this accounted for at least 21% of data.
However, OPDA said less than 1% of property data was currently available in digital form.
The organisation said this disconnect between what was happening in the market and consumer perception was behind the lack of transparency, delays and inefficiencies in transactions.
OPDA said the UK’s property transaction process was in “urgent need of modernisation” and called for change. This comes after the government said there needed to be digitisation and agreed practices across the sector.
OPDA’s research also found that 82% of people felt digital property packs were a good idea and 77% said they would use them if they were available.
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Maria Harris, chair at OPDA, said: “The property market is long overdue for transformation. Our research shows that consumers are not only open to digital property packs but are actively calling for them.
“With the government’s commitment to digitisation, now is the time to push forward and ensure that buyers and sellers have the safe and trusted information they need at their fingertips.”
Phil Spencer, property expert and founder of property advice website Move iQ, added: “This announcement highlights what many of us in the property industry have known for years – the data we rely on just isn’t easily accessible, and too often, it’s in formats that are outdated, unreliable, or difficult to share safely. This initiative with clearer protocols for property data could be a game-changer for the way we buy and sell homes in the future.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but these steps mark a real shift in how the industry and government work together to improve the process.”
OPDA said digital property packs were secure and comprehensive and allowed buyers and sellers to access, verify and share information upfront. The organisation said this could streamline transactions, reduce fall-through rates and increase trust.
Some 15% of people felt government or regulatory guidance would make them more confident about using digital property packs.
