Streamlining property data collection: The Valuation Office Agency's new digital approach

Gary Trent, Private Rented Sector Stakeholder Lead at the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) outlines the work of the VOA and how landlords can help build a comprehensive and robust rental database.

'The Valuation Office Agency provides the Government with the valuations and property advice needed to support local taxation and benefits. Rent officers are a vital part of this work, and for over 30 years teams like mine have gathered rental information from landlords and letting agents from across England to maintain a representative rental database.

By collecting letting information we support Government decisions on housing allowances and housing benefits for around two million tenants.

How and why we collect the data

Until now, the process for sharing rental information with us has been paper-based or through email, which we know can be pretty cumbersome.

That’s why a real priority for us has been improving and modernising how we collect this rental data, and I’m really proud that we’ve now introduced new digital forms to simplify the process.

But why is this data important?

Aside from influencing Local Housing Allowance levels, the rental data we collect plays a crucial role in the work of the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This data contributes to several essential indices, including:

• Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Consumer Price Index including Housing (CPIH): These indices offer the most comprehensive measure of inflation, incorporating housing costs alongside other expenses to provide a complete picture of cost-of-living changes
• Price Index of Private Rents: This index tracks changes in rental prices over time, providing valuable insights into the rental market
• Retail Price Index: This index measures consumer inflation, helping to understand the broader economic trends affecting consumers.

Your information improves the accuracy of data that has an impact beyond your own portfolio, local community, and region.

Each piece of information shared makes a valuable contribution, whether you’re submitting data for a single property or multiple ones.

New digital data submission

We introduced these forms following feedback from landlords. We hope you’ll agree that this new process makes submitting rental data quicker and easier. You can find our new digital forms on GOV.UK.

If you manage a large portfolio, you may even be able to contribute directly using your own management software. To discuss the best way for you to get involved, get in touch by emailing [email protected].

And if spreadsheets work best for you, we’re still happy to receive information that way too.

If you would like to find out more about how we use the information you provide, visit GOV.UK.

Connect with us

The VOA rent officer team will be at the upcoming ‘NRLA on Tour’ event in Cambridge on Thursday 21 November. We’re excited to talk to you about the rental market and get your feedback on our new digital submission process.