AI transforms from ‘nice to have’ into an essential tool for the new legal landscape
You can’t help noticing that the landscape for social housing technology has fundamentally shifted. What was once positioned as an aspirational digital transformation initiative has now become a regulatory imperative. With Awaab’s Law effective from October 2025 and new Tenant Access to Information rights arriving in April 2027, housing providers can no longer rely on manual processes and legacy systems to meet their legal obligations.
A regulatory reality check
Awaab’s Law represents a watershed moment for housing compliance, with ambitious but necessary demands. Housing providers must now investigate hazard reports (incl. damp and mould) within 14 days, provide written updates to tenants and commence remedial works within seven days. For emergency situations, this timescale compresses to just 24 hours.
These requirements alone would put a strain on traditional operating models. However, the challenge will intensify further with the introduction of Tenant Access to Information rights in April 2027. This will mandate that housing providers provide access to housing management information on request, potentially handling thousands of simultaneous enquiries from tenants seeking policy clarification, maintenance updates or tenancy information.
With increased legal obligations, tighter timelines and higher stakes, manual processes and spreadsheet-based systems simply can’t scale to meet these demands.
Beyond the AI hype
Artificial intelligence offers genuine operational solutions when deployed strategically. Based on our work with housing providers such as Home Group, East Midlands Housing and Fairhive Homes, AI is strong in six key areas:
- Automated hazard reporting and triage – AI-powered systems can process hazard reports around the clock across multiple channels, including web, voice, WhatsApp and email. Natural language processing ensures that urgent cases such as emergency damp or mould reports can be flagged immediately and routed to the appropriate teams, maintaining the timelines mandated by Awaab’s Law.
- Compliance monitoring and SLA tracking – Intelligent systems can keep an eye on legal timelines, sending alerts when investigation deadlines approach and tracking the progress of remedial works. This creates a proactive compliance framework rather than reactive crisis management.
- Instant information access – AI chatbots and voice assistants can deliver instant answers based on policy information, tenancy rights guidance and safety updates. This capability directly addresses the 2027 information access requirements without creating additional work.
- Repair status and appointment management – Tenants can check job progress, request appointments and receive updates through AI assistants which are integrated with housing systems, reducing call-centre volumes while improving service accessibility.
- Multi-lingual communication – AI translation tools enable clear, consistent messaging across dialects and languages, removing language barriers and making services more accessible.
- Audit-trail generation – Every AI interaction creates timestamped, searchable records that provide robust evidence for regulatory inspections and complaint investigations.
AI’s current limitations
While AI delivers significant value, its successful implementation also requires an understanding of its boundaries. AI systems excel at information processing, pattern recognition and routine task automation.
However, they aren’t suited to complex decision-making that requires human judgment and a detailed understanding of context, such as diagnosing the root causes of building defects, approving compensation decisions or handling sensitive tenant welfare issues.
The most effective approach positions AI as an intelligent co-pilot that enhances and supports human capabilities rather than replacing professional judgment.
The Access to Information Act 2027
The tenant information access requirements align particularly well with AI’s core strengths. This legislation demands structured knowledge access and instant information retrieval, both of which are at the heart of what AI systems do best.
Housing providers with digitised policies and API-accessible CRMs and housing management systems will be well-placed to implement AI-powered information services quickly and cost-effectively. Tenants should be able to ask questions such as, “What’s your policy on missed repair appointments?” and receive immediate responses in plain language.
This represents a significant efficiency opportunity. Rather than needing extra staff to manually respond to hundreds of policy enquiries, AI systems can handle routine information requests instantly while identifying and escalating complex cases to human experts.
Start small, scale smart
Successful AI deployment doesn’t require wholesale system replacement; many of our customers began with a single, high-volume project, such as general FAQs, before expanding into additional services. This phased approach allows housing providers to:
- Demonstrate measurable results before major investment;
- Build internal confidence and competency;
- Refine processes based on real-world performance;
- Scale successful implementations across additional services.
Early adopters are already reporting significant improvements, with AI assistants able to understand and respond to over 95 per cent of all inbound enquiries, fewer enquiries transferred to live-chat and saving time for human agents by performing identification and verification checks. This all contributes towards faster responses, clearer tenant communications, fewer complaints and comprehensive audit trails.
The path forward
Social housing has entered a new regulatory era where tenant voice, wellbeing and transparency are non-negotiable. The operational challenges are substantial but not insurmountable with the right technological approach.
AI won’t solve every issue facing housing providers. However, when implemented with experienced partners as a hybrid approach working with your human team, it can provide the speed, consistency and confidence needed to meet legal obligations while delivering quality of service.
One housing leader recently said, “AI is the only thing that will make Awaab’s Law work.” This isn’t hyperbole – it’s a recognition that manual processes simply can’t scale to meet the demands of modern social housing regulations.
Richard Brown is the founder and managing director of Converse360
