Social housing is crucial in providing cost-effective and secure living arrangements for individuals and families across the UK. It’s the responsibility of housing associations, maintenance contractors and local authorities to ensure these properties remain in good condition and are suitable for tenants.
To achieve this goal, repairs and maintenance need to be delivered effectively. To navigate increasing tenant demands and meet standards set by the government, your organisation will need to invest in specialised social housing repairs and maintenance software.
Here, we take a look at why repairs and maintenance are so important in social housing, what benefits good software can provide and why ROCC could be the answer to all your organisation’s service delivery challenges.
Why is getting your social housing repairs and maintenance service right so important?
Providing social housing repairs and maintenance is no easy feat. With plenty of hurdles to overcome and a number of different stakeholders to please, you’ll want to ensure the service you offer is to a high standard and delivered right first time.
Reasons why an effective social housing repairs and maintenance service is vital include:
- Resident wellbeing: Firstly, and most importantly, a good repairs service leads to an improvement in tenant safety. If issues are left too long, then the welfare of tenants is likely to be at risk. Your organisation needs to be able to respond to hazards and faults as quickly as possible, whether that’s getting rid of mould or attending to plumbing issues.
- Keeps a property in good condition: Proactive repairs and maintenance help preserve an organisation’s physical assets. More significant costs and the worsening of problems can be avoided by dealing with issues early on. The more a property is well looked after, the longer its lifespan.
- Tenant satisfaction: It goes without saying, but if a property isn’t looked after properly then tenants are likely to be unhappy. By keeping social housing maintained properly, you can enjoy better relations with your tenants and improve your brand’s reputation.
- Regulatory compliance: Finally, the list of regulations and standards you have to adhere to is always growing, so you need to ensure your organisation is compliant. Proper repairs and maintenance ensure you’ll meet the necessary legal requirements and avoid potential fines or legal complications.
What is social housing repairs and maintenance software?
Social housing repairs and maintenance software is designed to make the management of repairs, maintenance tasks and associated workflows more efficient. If you’re a social housing association, maintenance contractor or local authority, then the right software has the power to revolutionise your business and streamline your operations.
Whether it’s task management, scheduling, job tracking, inventory management, improved communications between staff or data analysis, repairs and maintenance software is a no-brainer if you want your organisation to excel and stand out ahead of the competition.
What are the benefits of social housing repairs and maintenance software?
Social housing repairs and maintenance software has the potential to transform the way you run your business and look after tenants. Here are just some of the main advantages.
Improved efficiency
By embracing new technology and IT housing systems, you’ll automate the majority of manual processes and administrative tasks. Not only does this eliminate the possibility of human error, but it means you can allocate resources more effectively and improve how your workforce uses its time.
You’ll be able to respond to maintenance requests quickly, allocating the right operative and equipment to a job seamlessly.
Better communication
From senior management to field-based operatives and contractors to tenants, repairs and maintenance software leads to improved communication and collaboration. Real-time updates, live tracking and job notifications combine to ensure that everyone is fully informed throughout the process of delivery.
This reduces the risk of things going wrong and jobs not being completed at the first time of asking. It also means that nobody ever feels that they’re being left in the dark and can adapt to last-minute changes.
Data-led decisions
Repairs and maintenance software can capture accurate data that helps to inform future business decisions. Reporting and analytics features are able to identify trends, allocate resources and prioritise tasks to ensure your business runs smoothly.
Predictive analytics tools allow key decision-making to be led by accurate data, meaning the software will do a lot of the hard work for you. This is a real bonus for housing associations, maintenance contractors and local authorities who are short-staffed and stretched.
Cost-effective
Finally, after the initial upfront payment for the software, you’ll be able to reduce your costs in the long run significantly. Gaining an advantage from a streamlined process and better all-around service, resources will be managed more efficiently to avoid additional costs.
Your organisation will benefit from a reduction in repairs costs, extended lifespan for properties, fewer emergency repairs and no more wasted trips and operative hours.
Who uses social housing repairs and maintenance software?
Various stakeholders within social housing associations, maintenance contractors and local authorities use repairs and maintenance software. All of the below, and more, will benefit from streamlined operations and enhanced service delivery.
- Senior management: Managers can leverage the software to oversee workflows, track performance, plan for the future and ensure the service they offer remains fully compliant. Repairs software means the process of service delivery is more transparent and offers full visibility.
- Office-based staff: Employees who are based in the office will have access to the software and be in charge of monitoring the end-to-end process. If something goes wrong, they need to be familiar with the software to intervene. Office-based staff will benefit from better operational visibility and a reduction in wasted time spent on administrative tasks.
- Repairs and maintenance operatives: Operatives use the software to receive work orders, schedule tasks, monitor progress, provide important updates, communicate with colleagues and tenants, and report issues or completed repairs. The software should make their life a lot easier and give them all the tools they need to succeed.
- Contractors: Contractors involved in the delivery of repairs and maintenance are able to communicate through the software, receive assignments, provide updates and invoices for services. Again, if the software is easy to use, their job becomes a lot less complex.
- Tenants: Residents of social housing will have access to portals and mobile applications to ensure they stay in the loop throughout the whole process and can communicate with the necessary stakeholders. This includes submitting maintenance and repair requests, tracking job progress and communicating any problems with the service.
Why choose ROCC?
Social housing repairs and maintenance software is crucial for the wellbeing of tenants and the performance of your organisation. By embracing this technology, you’ll benefit from improved efficiency, greater communication, more accurate decision-making and a reduction in costs. If you want to ensure that the tenants you serve have access to safe, well-maintained housing, then we recommend investing in some market-leading software today.
If you partner with ROCC, you’ll have access to our full multi-functional social housing repairs and maintenance software suite, enabling key performance indicator improvement while reducing operational costs.
We deliver end-to-end service and operation management for the entire responsive, planned and cyclical maintenance of all your properties and assets. Jobs will be completed efficiently, on time and within budget by streamlining processes and automating menial tasks, resulting in an increase in tenant and staff satisfaction.
Get in touch with a member of our team today to find out more information about ROCC’s best-in-class social housing repairs and maintenance software.
