1.1

It is important that the property details for sales used in the calibration process of the AVM are accurate and represent the property at the date of the sale and to achieve this objective a Sales Verification and Validation process was introduced in CTR(E) IA 140305 and CTR(E) IA 150405.

1.2

To support the present process for Sales Validation and to enhance our existing property data, the VOA has developed a partnership with ‘Rightmove’.

The background to this partnership is that a pilot study was carried out in five locations to consider the potential benefits of using the ‘Rightmove’ material. As a result of this study, ‘Rightmove’ have created a separate website for the VOA which displays only the records with full postal addresses, thereby improving the efficiency of interrogating the results from searches made.

The contract specifies that this data will only be used for the enhancement of our property data and to support the sales validation processes for the CT Revaluation 2007.

This specific website data will not be available for any other purposes although business streams will benefit from the improvements made to the property attribute data. Access to the ‘Rightmove’ public website is, of course an option (subject to any terms and conditions that may be published on the public website), if there are perceived benefits in doing so.

1.3

The’ voa.rightmove’ website contains details of properties marketed through the Rightmove website from 1 January 1999 to the present day that have specific addresses.

1.4

The full address of each property being marketed is shown on the ‘voa rightmove’ site normally with a photograph(s). A description of the accommodation is included together with parking and site details etc. A layout plan is sometimes available which may include measurements (usually of rooms).

1.5

‘Rightmove’ market properties across the whole of England, although some areas of the country are covered more extensively than others.

2.1

The ‘voa.rightmove’ website should be accessed as follows:

• Go to – http://voa.rightmove.co.uk
• Enter your username as shown in the voa address book as your website name and the password and click in the ‘sign in’ box.
• Select property search area by entering the postcode in the relevant box.
• Leave as ‘For Sale’ or select ‘For Rent’.
• Click on ‘View’, ‘All’.
• Enter search dates in the ‘Marketed on Rightmove’ ‘From’ and ‘To’ boxes. Although it is possible to enter a number of search criteria, eg Type of Property, this should be ignored.
• Click in ‘Find properties’ box and the search results will be displayed.

2.2

100 properties are displayed at any one time and are sorted by the highest price first.

At present it is only possible to view 5 properties on a page at a time (‘Rightmove’ are looking to increase this number). To view properties on other pages it will be necessary to click on ‘More Details’ (2), (3), etc.

2.3

Properties that have been sold or been withdrawn from the market are highlighted in grey. Those properties currently on the market are highlighted in green.

2.4

‘Rightmove’ has produced a ‘Quick User Guide’. A copy of this guide can be found at Appendix 1.

3.1

There are a number of search criteria within the ‘voa.rightmove’ website but the most efficient option for data capture and particularly for sales validation purposes is a search using the ‘Marketed on Rightmove’ - ‘From/To’ and ‘Postcode’ options.

3.2

The postcode search allows a wide or narrow search to be made eg SY3 or SY3 8PU. However, it is not possible at present to search on a partial postcode, eg SY3 8. ‘Rightmove’ are investigating providing this extended function.

3.3

Postcodes within the Billing Authorities (BAs) covered by the location should be identified using such records as postcode maps. Some postcodes will overlap BA and County boundaries. It is important that all postcodes covered by the BAs within the location are identified, although it will not be necessary to extract data for properties not covered by the location.

3.4

A simple ‘Record of Postcode Searches’ should be maintained to record the start and end date of each postcode search together with the period covered by the search, eg 1 March 2003 - 17 May 2005. Separate records should be maintained for each BA.

An example of a ‘Record of Postcode Searches’ can be found at Appendix 2.

4.1

Data for all properties on the ‘voa.rightmove’ site, whether sold or for sale, should be extracted at the same time. This will avoid visiting the site a second time.

4.2

Priority must be given to those properties marketed from 1 March 2003 to the present day, as this data will be used to validate sales used in the calibration process.

Priority should also be given to undertaking searches for the BAs first in the calibration process.

4.3

‘Rightmove’ data should be accepted as that which reflects the property as it exists today and existing property details should be altered if necessary.

However, there is one exception. Existing property details captured with Reason Code ‘P’ should not be amended (see para 6.2.4).

4.4

Data can be extracted from ’Rightmove’ onto a ‘working/input sheet’ by the researcher (see para 5 below) and input later by support staff.

This working/input sheet can be found at Appendix 3.

4.5

Alternatively, working together, the researcher can extract data from ‘rightmove’ with the inputter checking and recording the data on the central database. If this method is adopted it will be necessary to place an Internet PC adjacent to a PC with central database access.

4.6

When deciding which method to adopt, CT Reval Team Leaders and Reval Managers should take into account available space and PCs in the location.

4.7

CT Reval Team Leaders and Reval Managers may wish to consider using the working/input sheet as a method for Quality Assurance until they are happy that the data being extracted and input meets the required standard (see para 7.1 below).

4.8

Whichever method is adopted, the researcher must code each property in the same way as they would on site by extracting data for all 16 property attributes, ie ‘Group’, ‘Type’ and ‘Age’ as well as details of accommodation, parking and VSCs.

As this is a Sales Validation process, it is not sufficient merely to fill in missing data.

It is recognised that it may not be possible to ascertain the ‘Area’, although where a layout plan is included; it may be possible to estimate it.

4.9

Once data has been extracted, the researcher should click on the ‘Unviewed’ indicator for the property on ‘rightmove’. This will then change to ‘Viewed’.

Any future searches on the site can then be restricted to unviewed properties by using the ‘Unviewed’ option.

5.1

To avoid visiting the same postcode area on the website data from more than one BA may be extracted at the same time, ie where a postcode overlaps two BAs.

A separate sheet should be used for each postcode area and each BA within that postcode area.

5.2

The search criteria should be entered on the working/input sheet, ie postcode, search period and whether ‘For Sale’ or ‘Rented’ properties. The name of the researcher should also be entered.

5.3

Data should be extracted from ’rightmove’ and recorded on the working/input sheet. This should be completed as follows with:

• The address of the property
• The 16 property attributes that make up the property details.
  
  Where attributes such as ‘Parking’, ‘VSC’ etc do not exist, ‘/’ should be placed in the appropriate column to show the data has not been missed.
• Reason Code ‘V’.
• The Effective Date – this should be the date the property was first marketed on ‘Rightmove’ and will be shown on the sales details.
• Any query, including any follow up action thought necessary, should be recorded in the ‘Remarks/ Follow Up Action’ column.
  
  A note should also be made in this column of any value significant details which do not have a specific code at present ,ie those to be recorded under VSC ‘WK’, for example fishing or moorings rights.
• The ‘ Floor Plan Available’ column should be ticked where a layout plan forms part of the sales details on the website.
• Activity Code 60 - ‘Data obtained from details supplied by BA or agent’ should be entered in the ‘Activity Code’ box when the property has been ‘coded’ and there is no query to resolve.
  
  Code 60 should not be entered where a query exists.
• The date the search was conducted should be entered as the ‘Activity Code’ date.

5.4

Although data should be extracted and captured directly onto the working/input sheet, there may be occasions when it would be beneficial to take a screen print of the sales details, eg where the researcher is unsure of the ‘Group’ type. Such instances are expected to be small but will prevent the need to search the website a second time.

The printout should not be retained. It should be destroyed as restricted waste as soon as the query has been resolved. (The VOA is contractually obliged not to disclose the selling agent and occasionally a printed hardcopy may include this information.)

5.5

Completed working/input sheets should be passed to support staff to input the data to the central database.

6.1

All data should be input to the central database without delay.

6.2

Updating Property Details, Property Details Effective Dates and VSCs

6.2.1

Property details should be updated in the ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen within the ‘Individual Property Details’ function of the Property Details application.

The ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen can be accessed by pressing <Ctrl F4> from the ‘Individual Property Details’ screen.

6.2.2

Existing property details must be checked against those extracted from ‘rightmove’ and the following action taken:

•

Where the existing property details agree with those extracted from ‘rightmove’

Amend Reason Code ‘R’ for existing set of property details to ‘V’.
The existing Property Details Effective Date should remain unchanged.

•

Where it is considered the existing properties details reflect the property but missing data can be added from ’rightmove’

Input missing data.
Amend Reason Code ‘R’ to ‘V’.
Amend Effective Date to the date the property was first marketed.

•

Where existing property details do not agree with ‘rightmove’. The data on ’rightmove’ will probably always reflect the property.

Amend existing data.
Amend Reason Code ‘R’ to ‘V’.
The existing Effective Date should remain unchanged.

•

Where existing property details are clearly out of date.

Create a new set of property details using from ‘rightmove’ data.
Record Reason Code ‘V’
The Effective Date of the new set of details should be the date the property was first marketed.
(NB It might be necessary to change the effective date of the existing property details – see para 7.2.3)

•

Where existing property details have been validated from a questionnaire but differ from ‘rightmove’ data.

Speak to the Reval Manager to decide the appropriate outcome. (Validated details could be more up-to-date than ‘rightmove’.)

6.2.3

Whenever any doubt arises whether to alter the existing property details or to create a new set, the inputter should create a new set of property details with Reason Code ‘V’. The Effective Date for this new set of details should be the date the property was first marketed.

It is vital that the revised set of property details is the one recorded with the most recent effective date. To ensure this happens it may be necessary to change the Effective Date of the existing set of property details to one day earlier than the Effective Date of the revised details.

6.2.4

‘Rightmove’ data should be accepted as that which reflects the property as it existed when it was first marketed, and existing property details amended as in para 6.2.2 above.

There is, however, one exception to this: If the existing set of property details has been captured with Reason Code ‘P’, do not amend any data. The property will have been the subject of a review for an inactivated CR10 report and the property details will be up to date.

When the CR10 report becomes activated, Reason Code ‘P’ should be changed to ‘V’.

6.2.5

Where the data includes a Value Significant Code (VSC) this should be input in the ‘Maintain VSC’ screen. The ‘Maintain VSC’ screen can be accessed from the ‘Amend/ Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen by pressing <Ctrl F5>.

Where there is no specific VSC for any value significant data, eg where a property has fishing or mooring rights, the VSC ‘WK’ should be input and the value significant details recorded as ‘Remarks’.

<F10> must be pressed to commit the data.

<F12> will return the user to the ‘Amend/ Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen.

6.3

Recording Property Details Activity Codes

6.3.1

Property Details Activity Code ‘60’ - ‘Data obtained from details supplied by BA or agent’ should be recorded in the ‘Property Details Activity Codes’ screen.

This screen can be accessed from the ‘Amend/ Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ within the ‘Individual Property Detail’ function by pressing <Ctrl F4>.

6.3.2

When creating a new Property Details Activity record, the ‘Activity Date’ will automatically default to the current (system) date. This date should be deleted and the date shown as ‘Activity Date’ on the working/input sheet input where necessary.

<F10> must be pressed to commit the Activity Code and Activity Date to the database

<F12> will return the operator to the ‘Amend/ Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen.

7.1

The CT Reval Team Leader and Reval Manager should ensure that the ‘rightmove’ data is extracted and input accurately.

Researchers should have received training in ‘Dwellinghouse Coding’. Inputters should have the required knowledge to input data accurately to the Property Details Application.

It is suggested that the Reval Manager or an experienced person sits alongside the researcher and the inputter until they are confident that the process is being completed accurately.

Alternatively, a 100% quality control can be undertaken on the data for the first 50 properties extracted and input by each person.

8.1

Whichever method of data extraction and input is adopted CT Reval Team Leaders must ensure that a record is kept showing totals of:

• Existing VOA property attributes which are confirmed
• Existing VOA property attributes which are altered
• New VOA property attributes added
• VOA property attributes remaining blank
• Existing VOA property attributes unconfirmed

8.2

Suitable pro-formas on which to record this information are shown at

Appendix 4 - Management Information Record (Manual)

and

Appendix 5 - Management Information Record (Electronic).

8.3

The CT Reval Data Project Team in CEO requires this management Information on a monthly basis and instructions for forwarding this information will be issued shortly.