Estate agents are being urged to prepare for a shift toward a smart property data market, as work begins on a government-backed project to test how property data can be securely shared and reused.

The Smart Property Data Trust Framework sandbox will examine the technical, governance and security standards needed to support a more data-driven property market. The 12-month project is funded by £742,700 from the Government’s Regulators’ Pioneer Fund and is being delivered by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers in partnership with the Open Property Data Association, with support from Raidiam and oversight from the Digital Property Market Steering Group.

The sandbox will provide a controlled environment to test how trusted property data can move between accredited participants, including estate agents, conveyancers, lenders and technology providers, as the sector moves away from document-led processes toward shared data standards.

Maria Harris, chair of OPDA, said: “We’ve been talking about the digitisation of the property market for a long time, but with this project, the vision starts to become a reality. The sandbox approach means the transition from digital property data to smart property data is not just theory but a live proof-of-concept.

“Digitising property transactions isn’t just about moving forms online. Without common standards, clear governance and trusted data sharing, we simply replicate existing inefficiencies in digital form. Trust frameworks provide the foundation that allows data to flow safely and reliably across the ecosystem, with confidence for both consumers and professionals.”

The sandbox project is testing practical use cases such as data provenance, consent management, secure APIs, role definitions, and liability models. Results will be published to help the sector understand how trust frameworks can reduce duplication, improve transaction certainty, and support automation across the property and mortgage lifecycle.

The Digital Property Market Steering Group (DPMSG), a coalition of regulators, government bodies, and industry organisations including the OPDA, is overseeing the project to ensure industry innovation aligns with regulatory and consumer protection requirements.

Estate agents are being encouraged to participate by engaging with the sandbox, contributing to testing and working groups, and reviewing how their businesses currently manage property data.

Firms should assess where manual, document-based processes could be replaced with structured data, how their systems will adopt emerging standards, and what governance and verification measures they will need to implement.

“Now is the time to get involved,” Harris added. “The sandbox is an opportunity for the industry to shape how smart property data works in practice and the user experience for consumers and property professionals. Early engagement will help firms prepare for a more efficient, transparent and trusted property market.”

Further updates and opportunities to participate will be shared by OPDA, CLC and DPMSG as the project progresses.