House Price Data

Mr Watts made this Freedom of Information request to Land Registry

The request was successful.

From: Mr Watts

28 August 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

worrying and irresponsibly the BBC website reports "House prices in
England and Wales rose by 1.7% in July compared with June - the
biggest monthly leap in value since July 2004, the Land Registry
said."

I can only presume that in such a small market of sales you were in
fact comparing "like for like" sales e.g. 1 Arcadia Avenue
Newcastle sold in 2008 against 1 Arcadia Avenue Newcastle sold in
2009!

How exactly have you derived these miracle figures or perhaps you'd
rather qualify what they are without the sensationalism that causes
irresponsible buying - irresponsible lending and panders only to
estate agents ego and bankers bonuses.

Has the average house price sold in 2008 compared with the average
house price sold in 2009 increased by 1.7% if so what does this
actually tell us about house prices NOTHING! as the market is
composed of varying types of housing - for example was the average
pulled up by many more sales of £1m houses whilst flats and
Terraced houses saw their largest fall in years!

Irresponsibility got us into this mess - it's the reason why so
many now sit at home without a job!

Yours faithfully,

ANGRY !!

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From: Petty, Roger
Land Registry

18 September 2009

Dear Mr. Watts

Thank you for your email dated 28 August 2009. I am dealing with it under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).

I note that you are enquiring as to how the Land Registry's House Price
Index figures are derived. Under section 21 of the Act, we are not
required to provide information in response to a request if it is already
reasonably accessible to you as it is part of our Publication Scheme. In
addition please refer to our web site, www.landregistry.gov.uk, under the
House Price Index Frequently Asked Questions. I refer you to the question
stating, `How is the HPI calculated?' which will give you the information.

Please note that we do not provide commentary on the House Price Index
beyond the information sent out at the time of publication.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.
If you are dissatisfied with this response to your request, you may seek
an internal review by writing to:
Mike Westcott-Rudd
Head of Corporate Legal Services
Land Registry Head office
Lincoln's Inn Fields
London
WC2A 3PH
Email: [email address]

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a
decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted the complaints procedure provided the Land Registry. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9
5AF.

Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer

Land Registry's House Price Index is now live. www.landregistry.gov.uk

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let us know, and then delete it. Please treat our communications in
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