By Mark Dewell
SVP, Education, Government and Social Housing, Advanced
Moving forwards
While problems for the UK housing sector appear to stack up on an almost daily basis, employees are doing a sterling job of ploughing forwards. In an era of change and uncertainty, workers in both public and private sectors are adapting to the pace of change, utilising new digital solutions to work faster and with more efficiency. These solutions can support all areas of operation, from reducing voids to streamlining new builds.
Although not a panacea, technology has an ever-more vital role to play in the housing sector, particularly as recent government legislation comes into effect. New stipulations mean that housing providers have to be on the ball when it comes to compliance, and take a more proactive approach to health and safety and tenant communication.
Beside new legislation, interest rates hit a 15-year high in 2023, pushing up costs for landlords and dissuading would-be buyers from entering the market. This meant fewer available properties and higher rent for tenants. Combined with the cost-of-living crisis, this led more of the UK population to seek out social housing, putting additional strain on an already overburdened system.
To compound the problem further, interest rate hikes meant that local authorities and social housing providers were having to use a large proportion of their budgets servicing debt, rather than on public services – bad news for those who rely on the provision of social housing.
A work in progress
The obvious answer to a housing shortage is to build, and on this front the UK government has had some impact. The Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 has, so far, supported at least 89 local authorities over 160 projects, and helped release brownfield sites for nearly 7,000 homes.
However, funding doesn’t appear to be sufficient across the board. An analysis of government data by the Independent in 2023 concluded that only one-third of local authorities in England had completed any new home builds in 2021-2022, with more than half of councils failing to build a single home. This has led to a greater reliance on cross-subsidy – building a mix of homes for social and private rent.
At the same time, many local authorities are dealing with an ageing housing stock, requiring the planning of maintenance and repair. On top of this, energy efficiency targets need to be met, increasing the workload further.
Digital building blocks
When it comes to finding solutions, housing providers would benefit from software designed to tackle additional workload. Field service management software, for example, should be able to give managers a clear oversight on maintenance and repairs, and enable the deployment of resources in the most efficient way possible.
In terms of the procurement process, housing providers should look to sourcing management software that lets them compare quotes, review compliance data and choose suppliers based on historical performance. When considering supplier management software, the solution should be able to give real-time insights into supplier risk, allowing the user to make changes based on informed data.
Another area not to be overlooked is communication. Having an effective system in place for two-way dialogue between tenant and landlord has become highly important, both in terms of safety and legal compliance. The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 requires complaints pertaining to damp, mould, other hazards and antisocial behaviour to be dealt with under strict timeframes, with unlimited fines for non-compliance.
In order to deal with complaints effectively, housing providers would benefit from field service management software designed to improve client communication. Adopting this kind of digital solution should give the provider a clear view of appointment planning, leading to higher first-time fix rates and better client satisfaction. The software should also benefit the tenant, allowing for 24/7 access with automated replies and chatbot integration.
Employee management is a further area to consider. Adopting a continuous performance management model (CPM) ensures staff members are given real-time feedback, with clear goals and objectives to meet. In contrast to an out-dated ‘annual appraisal’ model, the constructive feedback inherit in a CPM improves staff engagement and well-being, leading to increased retention.
Going green
Housing providers need to keep a keen eye on their environmental responsibilities. While it may be true that the government has pushed back on pledges concerning the sale of new gas boilers and fines for landlords who fail to upgrade their properties, housing providers must continue to forge ahead when pursuing green measures.
Advanced’s recent white paper, Getting Your House in Order, goes into detail on the ESG challenge for housing providers. The paper discusses improving the tenant experience, and how to use data to elevate levels of quality and safety in the home.
The effective use of data can also help meet ESG measures in the procurement process. Sourcing management software should be able to present a clear view of supplier information, allowing the user to compare historical data and choose suppliers with provable green credentials.
Providers should also consider the adoption of fully cloud-based solutions. Apart from creating a more agile and efficient way of working, the cloud reduces the need for on-premises infrastructure, lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Housing providers who put the environment at the forefront of their operations can not only set the standard for industry but ensure they’re ahead of the game in a political climate that is ever-changing. More importantly, green measures have an immeasurable impact on the people who live in our homes.
