The Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has appointed United Trust Bank (UTB) as the first mortgage lender to join its executive committee.

As an executive member, OPDA suggested that UTB will bring a lending technology and mortgage data perspective to the association and shape the future development of the data standards for specialist lending.

OPDA is the UK’s first trade association creating and driving adoption of open property data and is aiming to set the foundations for the future of an open property data trust framework.

It described UTB joining its executive committee as an “exciting milestone” in bringing mortgage lenders and intermediaries into the delivery of a digital, data-driven, home buying process.

Chair of OPDA, Maria Harris, said: “Announcing our first lender is an exciting and important milestone for the association. As we move towards upfront information becoming mandatory on property listings, ensuring that data is collected digitally and can be shared in a trust way with intermediaries and mortgage lenders will be critical for improving the whole process.

“UTB’s approach to innovative thinking and the use of technology to create better experiences for their intermediaries and customers is well recognised across the industry so I’m delighted it has joined us at this pivotal time.”

UTB director of mortgages, Buster Tolfree, added: “UTB has a reputation as one of the market’s leading specialist banks, and as such we welcome enhancements that simplify the application process for our brokers and customers and help mitigate credit and commercial risk.

“Joining the OPDA, and being involved in opening up some of the traditional data-borders that have existed in the past, is therefore an easy decision to make.”

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