Jay Finch, head of trade at FireAngel, explores the use of technology in social housing to protect vulnerable residents and provide early detection of risks to improve their wellbeing.
The social housing sector is under continued scrutiny to deliver oversight of compliance, safety and wellbeing at scale. In 2023, the UK government released its findings following the death of Awaab Ishak directly linked to damp and mould exposure, citing around four per cent of social housing homes as having notable damp and mould issues.
A recent BBC report highlighted a fivefold increase in complaints over the less than adequate living conditions and residents’ safety concerns, as compared to five years ago. Asbestos, electrical and fire safety, damp and mould, pest control and leaks are some of the problems behind these complaints. The report reinforced the mounting evidence that slow, reactive approaches to property management and resident protection have become ineffective, especially in a world where residents are entitled to more information transparency.
As a solution, the adoption of connected technologies such as interconnected smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms and environmental sensors for cold, damp and mould offer a scalable, data-led route to safeguarding both residents and housing assets. Meanwhile, with providers having spent a record £8.8bn on repairs and maintenance in social housing last year, connected solutions offer the oversight necessary to identify smaller problems before they escalate into expensive emergency repairs.
Not just ‘nice to have’
As housing regulations get tighter and oversight failures become more prominent on the social agenda, technology can help housing providers to be more strategic and efficient in their operations. Smart home-safety solutions, the integration of internet of things (IoT) devices and connected platforms are all moving from being ‘nice to have’ innovations to becoming necessary measures for greater prevention and protection, underpinning a new era of data-driven oversight and risk management.
IoT-enabled solutions offer on-the-spot, data-driven monitoring for housing providers across their entire portfolios. They can be deployed at scale, integrating with legacy systems and provide real-time visibility into the status of residents’ wellbeing and property safety risks. These connected technologies provide real-time information on building disrepair, damp and mould and the patterns associated with alarm triggers, enabling a preventative approach to managing the state of individual properties and residents’ safety.
Early interventions & false alarms
A centralised system that identifies key risk factors, such as alarm trigger patterns, allows for early interventions and saves fire and rescue services (FRS) valuable time because they can identify the likelihood of false alarms. For example, take a deaf resident who frequently triggers a heat alarm when cooking and a neighbour pops round to switch it off. In this instance, smart solutions can notify the housing provider of the frequent triggers and it can then send someone to check on the resident, identify the reason for the frequent triggers and perhaps install an alarm solution suitable for deaf people.
By aggregating and analysing data from thousands of devices, housing providers can identify patterns, prioritise interventions and demonstrate compliance with evolving regulatory standards. This data-driven approach not only streamlines maintenance and resource allocation but also supports more transparent, accountable relationships with residents along with provable compliance.
Reputational risk & cost
Reputation is now a commodity that housing providers can’t afford to squander, and improving it across the sector should be a priority; a recent survey found that 92 per cent of respondents from housing providers, local authorities and trade bodies are concerned about reputation. The Social Housing Regulatory Framework further enforces this in its governance and financial viability standard which requires housing providers to “safeguard taxpayers’ interests and the reputation of the sector”. Reputation management also puts housing providers on a better footing with their funding bodies, potentially making a difference in competitive tenders.
Cost is naturally always a consideration when choosing safety systems. While a cheaper option at first, the opportunity cost of choosing traditional standalone alarms becomes apparent in the extra resourcing needed for manual inspections and unnecessary interventions. The cost savings in both labour and emergency repairs will offset the initial cost because problems can be identified and addressed before they escalate. Identifying damp or mould problems can also guide insulation upgrades or heating system replacements, thereby optimising spending and improving long-term asset value.
Furthermore, while Scotland is currently the only country in the UK legally requiring the installation of connected alarm systems (Scottish Tolerable Standard 2022), regulations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are under greater scrutiny, particularly with the Grenfell Inquiry highlighting the need for change and enhanced responsibilities. With connected technologies, alarm systems are scalable, even when integrating into current operations, meaning that preventative measures can be rolled out in phases.
The need for faster adoption
Connected technologies aren’t new but their adoption has been slow. This is costing housing providers significantly in terms of repairs and reputation, both of which are unaffordable. Interlinked alarms and environmental sensors provide the real-time oversight and monitoring needed to adequately protect the welfare of vulnerable residents and housing providers’ bottom lines.
Adopting these technologies now gives housing providers trackable data to prove compliance and evidence in the case of adverse incidents because they demonstrate proactive risk management. More importantly, the monitoring of housing stock can prevent the long-term degradation of homes and actively improve the lives and safety of residents.
Jay Finch is the head of trade at FireAngel.
