By Paul Evans,
Chief Executive
Mobysoft

The social housing sector is getting to grips with the scale of its crisis around data.

In a digitally-enabled world that’s driving up service standards in other areas of people’s lives, poor-quality, fragmented and outdated information is making it harder for landlords to meet tenant expectations, comply with regulations, and run the right and most efficient services.

Without a clear strategy to manage their data, housing providers risk making costly mistakes, and damaging tenant trust.

New research from Mobysoft’s From Data to Decisions report reveals that more than 90% of senior housing staff don’t fully trust the accuracy of their data.

Meanwhile, the Housing Ombudsman has made it clear that better use of data is essential for improving service delivery and accountability. With new regulations focused on transparency and tenant satisfaction, the need for landlords to get their data in order has never been greater.

Before housing providers can improve their data, they need to understand where they currently stand.

A data maturity assessment can identify gaps, weaknesses and opportunities – highlighting whether key pieces of information are missing or outdated, if departments are working in silos, or if systems are creating more confusion than clarity.

Our research found that 62% of senior housing staff encountered examples of poor data quality in the past year. That’s not just an operational inconvenience – it’s a fundamental barrier to progress. Identifying these issues early is the first step towards meaningful improvement.

Once housing providers have a clear understanding of the state of their data, they need to establish clear, measurable objectives.

A strong data strategy is about more than just cleaning up existing information – it’s about using it to drive a cultural shift that leads to continual improvements.

This could mean reducing response times for repairs, improving tenant satisfaction with services or ensuring compliance.

Setting clear priorities ensures accountability and provides a benchmark for progress.

Technology alone won’t fix the sector’s data challenges – people and processes play an equally important role.

Leaders must set the tone by prioritising data as a strategic asset and fostering a culture of accountability. However, more than 40% of senior housing staff surveyed said their organisation lacks a data strategy.

Without a clear framework, staff are left without the guidance they need to manage data effectively. Establishing roles such as data stewards or forming a data governance board can help drive accountability and ensure data initiatives align with organisational goals. When everyone understands their role in maintaining data quality, the entire organisation benefits.

Many landlords are still working with outdated systems that make it difficult to manage data efficiently. Investing in modern, scalable solutions – such as cloud-based data warehouses – can centralise information and break down silos between departments. This enables housing providers to integrate their data sources and gain a clearer, more holistic view of tenants, properties and service performance.

Even with the best systems in place, poor-quality data leads to poor decisions. Inaccurate property records, incorrect tenant contact details and unreliable maintenance histories can all create costly inefficiencies.

More than two-thirds of housing staff surveyed said that poor data quality affected their ability to respond to complaints within required timescales, damaging both operational performance and tenant trust.

Regular data audits, validation processes and automation tools can help improve data accuracy. At the same time, compliance must be a priority – ensuring housing providers meet GDPR requirements and adhere to regulatory reporting standards. Getting these right builds organisation-wide confidence in data-driven decision-making.

Poor data quality is already costing landlords time, money and credibility. Without a clear data strategy, these problems will only worsen, especially as regulatory pressures continue to increase.

By taking proactive steps – assessing data maturity, setting clear goals, promoting accountability, investing in the right tools and prioritising data quality – housing providers can turn data from a challenge into an asset. With the right approach, landlords can move from reactive problem-solving to proactive service delivery, ensuring better outcomes for both tenants and organisations alike.

The data crisis is real – but with a structured plan, landlords can take control and start making data work for them, rather than against them.