The UK’s property market is the backbone of our economy, and there’s no doubt that its efficiency could be improved through comprehensive adoption of the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN).
Already, UPRNs are starting to reshape how the industry approaches property identification, transaction, and management – and there’s significant, growing momentum for its adoption. This is exemplified by a new call at the end of last year from leading property sector organisations asking the Government to fully adopt the UPRN across the residential UK property market. You can see the letter in full, and its signatories here.
Unlocking value
HM Land Registry has long been the custodian of invaluable property data in the UK, holding the underlying, invaluable datasets that are crucial for all property transactions.
HMLR has been tasked with enabling greater adoption of UPRNs throughout the land and property market. In a recent letter from Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) to Neil Sachdev, Chair of HM Land Registry Board, the Minister noted:
“I am also very interested in making rapid progress towards enabling others to map HMLR data, for example by linking title numbers with INSPIRE IDs and UPRNs in published datasets”
This is part of a broader initiative to improve the speed and efficiency of property transactions, streamline conveyancing, and simplify planning procedures. Organisations such as the Home Buying and Selling Group now include a UPRN field on its Buying and Selling Property Information form, as does the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return and the Law Society, the independent professional body for solicitors in England and Wales, uses the UPRN in its TA6 Property Information Form which helps sellers gather and provide material information about a property for buyers and lenders.
The importance of linking HMLR’s title numbers with UPRNs and INSPIRE IDs cannot be over-emphasised – it’s one of the smoothest, most direct routes to enable more comprehensive mapping of property data, making it easier for different agencies and stakeholders to access the same information. This advancement is pivotal for the UK’s housing market as it moves to meet ambitious housing targets set by government.
By mapping HM Land Registry data to UPRNs, the efficiency of property buying, selling, and planning processes can be dramatically improved. As the entity responsible for managing UPRN data across local authorities, we’re an active advocate for this change.
Click here for the full press release