Support Solutions UK help Cumbria Community Homes with technical consultancy and advice in terms of their structural framework. We are also responsible for constructing their rent and service charges. Recently Cumbria Community Homes commented "Thanks Danny we couldn't have done it without you. Your knowledge and expertise in the sector is amazing. You go above and beyond for us. No better partner to help us grow. We will be forever grateful."
Here at Support Solutions UK, we like to keep our followers and clients up to date with the latest industry news.
This month our briefing will look at the social housing regulator and their demand for more two-way engagement with tenants to better understand their needs and reduce the risk of undiscovered tenant deaths.
Reference will be made to the Housing Proactive solution that one of our longstanding clients (Alertacall) has designed.
Why are the social housing regulator demanding better two-way engagement with customers?
Social housing tenants deserve homes that are safe and of a decent standard. It is vitally important that tenants receive quality services from their landlords and they are able to deliver what tenants need.
The regulator has a vision for consumer regulation which details the following points;
- Landlords must maintain tenants’ homes so that they are safe and of a decent standard and that landlords provide a quality service.
- Where things go wrong, complaints are handled effectively, and things are put right.
- The relationship between tenants and landlords is underpinned by shared expectations of fairness and respect and a shared understanding of their respective rights and responsibilities.
- Landlords demonstrate that they understand the diverse needs of the communities that they serve and their services reflect that.
- Tenants understand, use and have confidence in the recourse that they have to get problems resolved.
- Stakeholders have confidence that landlords’ commitment to their tenants is underpinned by effective consumer regulation, whether that landlord is a housing association, council or for-profit provider.
The regulator has set out three tests for the success of the new consumer regulation framework. These three tests mean that;
- It must make a meaningful difference to tenants.
- Landlords must be able to deliver its expectations.
- The regulator must be able to regulate against it.
The regulator is determined to deliver on these tests, and they continue to guide how they are approaching their implementation of proactive consumer regulation.
In taking forward new consumer regulation, the regulator has already spoken to thousands of tenants and will continue to do so to understand the issues that matter to them most.
Similarly, the regulator has spoken to landlords to find out what they are already doing to improve the homes and services they provide, as well as their engagement with, and accountability to tenants.
Are you being proactive, and do you know your tenants and their property?
Knowing your customer and property is at the top of housing providers’ agendas to help reduce a number of risks, including the growing concern around undiscovered tenant deaths.
Where this is a particular challenge is with older and other higher-needs residents. This is one group with whom being more proactive, reducing digital poverty and capturing tenant feedback to ensure tenant satisfaction is the highest priority.
How can housing providers do all this, whilst still protecting access to valuable ‘human contact’?
We have the answer – Alertacall
Founded in 2004, Alertacall is the first organisation in the world to specialise in the development of technology to improve daily contact designed to keep people independent and drive meaningful outcomes. Alertacall pioneers the principle that by increasing contact with people, in a way the customer controls, you can better understand their changing needs, make better decisions and improve their lives.
Alertacall – Housing Proactive
Housing Proactive is the newest product of Alertacall. For a small weekly fee, your residents can be provided with an easy-to-use touchscreen with 2-way messaging, repairs reporting, surveying, as well as property checks.
When you combine this with a team skilled in housing-related issues that’s available 365 days a year, Housing Proactive is the perfect tool around which to build your engagement model in sheltered, supported and general needs.
Alertacall also have an optional OKEachDay for Housing service that can help you confirm occupancy, exchange information and offer high-quality human contact every day of the year.
What are the advantages of the Alertacall Housing Proactive product?
There are many advantages of the Alertacall Housing Proactive product. Let’s take a look at these in more detail.
| Advantage | Further Info |
| Customers can contact you easily
|
By writing a message or recording one using their voice. This can be sent to a housing officer, help desk or both.
|
| See live video of visitors
|
Talk to them before allowing them access from the comfort of a chair. Safer and easier for customers – who can also see any missed callers. (Compatible IP door entry required)
|
| Alertacall team is available 365 days a year
|
To allow customers to notify the team that they are going away and to relay housing-related info or to change settings.
|
| Reporting repairs is easy
|
Give the option of a call with your repairs team or take the customer through multiple choice questions with intuitive icons to select.
|
| Connect customers using video calls
|
They can make these to each other and set their own approved caller list. Your team can also call customers from their own smartphone or computer. (This is an additional cost option)
|
| Reporting ASB is easy
|
Alertacall give the option of a call with your team members or take the customer through multiple choice questions with intuitive icons to select.
|
| Keep customers informed
|
Through the use of text and picture messages which you can send to individuals, groups or areas you define. These can also be made to ‘popup’ when the OKEachDay button is pressed.
|
| Check rent, pay bills and self-service
|
By integrating your own self-service portal or app on to our touchscreen, instantly boosting your digital engagement aspirations.
|
| Listen and learn about your customer’s needs
|
By broadcasting surveys with multiple choice questions. Customers can be prompted to complete a survey after pressing the OKEachDay button
|
Alertacall product visual
Here is an image of the alertacall product. This image should give you a tangible look at the product and the layout prospective clients can expect
For more information on Housing Proactive and how Support Solutions UK can assist you with its funding please contact us.
References
https://www.alertacall.com/housing-proactive/
https://www.alertacall.com/about-us/
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/revised-directions-to-regulator-of-social-housing-tenant-involvement-and-mutual-exchange/implementing-the-new-consumer-regulatory-regime-directions-to-the-social-housing-reg
Want to subscribe to our future briefings?
If you want to subscribe to our future briefings, please e-mail lee@supportsolutions.co.uk and we will add you to the briefing list.
Our briefings are ‘FREE’ and we currently have close to 1400 people signed up
We will be back in December with another briefing.
Thanks for Reading
The Support Solutions UK Team