A system for rented properties which enables landlords and tenants to check detailed information on rental properties is said to be one step closer to being implemented by the government.
UPRN
It has recently been announced that the government is set to open up it’s Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) system to landlords and tenants. The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC) made the announcement, which comes as positive news after years of lobbying in an attempt to reveal this ‘secret’ data, which has previously been kept private.
A Unique Property Reference Number is a unique, 12 digit numeric identifier for every spatial address in Great Britain. It provides a comprehensive, complete, consistent identifier throughout a property’s life cycle – from planning permission through to demolition.
Therefore, a UPRN is essentially your ‘Property Passport’.
What difference Will the Property Passport Make?
The Open Standards Board has stated that using UPRNS will now be the standard way of referencing and sharing information about properties and streets across government to improve services and outcomes for citizens such as helping to improve fraud detection, creating better waste collection routes, more accurate insurance quotes and house buying processes.
When will the Property Passport be available?
These are currently managed by Government-backed data bodies the Geospatial Commission and and will be available from 1 July to homeowners and non-commercial organisations.
Minister for Housing Rt Hon Christopher Pincher said: “I am delighted by today’s announcement and encouraged by the new opportunities this presents to digitally transform public services and boost our economy.
Theresa Wallace, Chair of TLIC, said: “The next phase of the TLIC vision is to engage with stakeholders in the industry, such as Gas Safe, CRM system providers, deposit schemes and electrical safety certificate suppliers to adopt the UPRN as their property reference number on all certification and documentation.”
“Then, with the development of the Property Passport, the UPRN can be used much like a car number plate, to check safety requirements on privately rented properties have been completed. This will give tenants the peace of mind that their property has passed all of its checks and the Local Authorities the transparency they need for improved enforcement.”
What Belvoir Say
This will unlikely come as a surprise to our managed landlords although will also confirm what we have forecasted and already implemented to meet this incoming requirement earlier in March of this year – however we feel that this will also be later used to track energy efficiency ratings on a street by street basis for future energy saving strategies and also link house insurance and mortgage status to providing tenants and authorities with a single point of reference for compliance.
