Why Repairs Spending Is Surging in UK Social Housing (And How to Stay in Control)

We are witnessing record levels of reinvestment in new and existing homes by social housing associations. While this is undoubtedly good news for tenants, it raises questions about how social landlords can maintain control of their finances.  

It’s no secret that repairs and maintenance costs are rising fast for social housing providers in the UK. The latest Global Accounts from the Regulator of Social Housing confirmed this, revealing no signs of it slowing down anytime soon.

So, is record investment amid increasing cost pressures sustainable?

Between April 2024 and March 2025, housing associations in England spent a record £10 billion on repairs and maintenance, a 13% increase on the previous year and part of a sustained upward trend.

Just a few years ago, the figure stood at £5.7 billion pre-pandemic, meaning spending has surged by more than 50% since 2020.

With forecasts suggesting annual investment could reach £10.9 billion over the next five years, repairs are no longer a background operational issue. They are central to financial resilience and tenant satisfaction.

In this article, we explore why spending is rising so sharply, and what social housing providers can do to maintain control.

Why are repairs costs rising?

There are multiple reasons repairs and maintenance costs continue to rise in the UK. While this is a complex issue, there are some common themes being felt by all social housing providers.

• Ageing housing stock: A significant proportion of the UK’s social housing stock is decades old, with much of it built before modern standards existed. Older homes require more frequent and complex repairs, particularly as systems and materials reach the end of their lifecycle.
• Damp and mould measures: The sector has seen an intensified focus on damp and mould following high-profile cases and regulatory pressure. You can read about Awaab’s Law here. 
• Tenant expectations: Repairs volumes are increasing as landlords respond more proactively to tenant concerns. Residents are more aware of their rights and less tolerant of delays, meaning providers need to move faster.
• Building safety and compliance: More than ever, providers must prioritise safety-critical works, often on short notice and at high cost. This includes fire remediation and structural repairs.
• Decarbonisation and retrofit pressures: Trying to meet net-zero targets is proving to be another cost driver, as energy efficiency upgrades are often delivered through repairs programmes. 
• Supply chain challenges: The social housing sector is feeling the pinch from rising material costs, labour shortages and contractor price increases. Routine repairs cost significantly more than they did a few years ago.

So, as you can see, that’s quite a lot to unpick. Having one or two of the above to deal with is challenging enough, but when all of these cost issues happen at once, it puts an enormous amount of pressure on social housing providers to deliver safe homes.

Why are traditional repairs models no longer working?

Historically, many housing associations have relied on reactive, volume-driven repairs models, attempting to fix issues as they arise. However, this approach is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Here’s why:

• Reactive repairs drive higher costs: Fixing problems late is always more expensive than early preventative maintenance. Without early intervention, minor issues escalate into major, more costly repairs.
• Fragmented data hinders visibility: So many social housing providers still operate with siloed, clunky systems. With different systems for housing management, repairs, compliance and tenant data, it’s much harder to identify risk and intervene.
• Compliance is now a major risk: It always has been, but with more scrutiny on social homes than ever before, providers must be compliant. Therefore, spending must be effective to meet regulatory standards. Traditional reporting, focusing purely on volume and costs, is no longer good enough.

This is why a different approach is needed to manage rising repairs costs. Social housing providers need to move away from the reactive model we’ve discussed, and instead favour a proactive, data-driven approach.

This means:

• Identifying high-risk properties before issues escalate
• Prioritising interventions based on impact and compliance risk
• Improving data quality and visibility across systems
• Aligning operational activity with strategic objectives.

But how do you achieve this? Well, this is where ROCC comes in, with solutions that offer a more integrated approach to repairs management.

How to take back control with ROCC

ROCC provides integrated software platforms designed specifically for social housing providers, enabling them to optimise the end-to-end management of repairs and maintenance services while significantly improving outcomes for tenants.

We offer housing associations a single source of truth, bringing together repairs, asset management and tenant data into one platform, so organisations get a clear picture of their operations. This completely eliminates siloes and ensures everyone at your organisation is singing from the same hymn sheet. 

With ROCC, you’ll also benefit from digitised and automated repairs processes, ensuring you can:

• Schedule and track jobs more efficiently
• Reduce missed appointments and delays
• Improve contractor performance
• Deliver a better tenant experience.

With better data and insights, providers can identify trends, such as repeat repairs or properties at risk, and intervene earlier. By shifting from reactive to predictive maintenance, you’ll find controlling repairs costs so much easier.

This data also helps you to meet increasing regulatory requirements, with clear audit trails, improved reporting accuracy and the ability to make risk-based decisions. A real plus for boards and regulators, who will now have greater confidence in how repairs are being managed.

It’s important to recognise that it’s unlikely that this surge in repairs spending across social housing is a temporary spike. Early projections indicate more is to come, which is why social housing providers must start preparing now. 

You need to be confident you can deliver better outcomes for tenants while maintaining financial control.

For more information about how ROCC can help your organisation to manage its finances and deliver the quality of service tenants expect, get in touch with our customer support team today.