Switchee’s Tom Robins on social housing’s next leap
At Data Matters 2025 in September, one theme kept coming up – trust. Whether in data, AI or sector leadership, the question was the same: how do we turn technology into something that people actually believe in?
That’s exactly where my conversation with Tom Robins, CEO of Switchee, came in. From the potential of AI to leapfrog a decade of missed progress and using surplus wind energy to heat homes through to eliminating mould once and for all, he kept circling back to one point: technology only matters if it improves people’s lives.
The promise and risk of AI
Robins believes AI is one of the biggest opportunities the sector has ever had. It could help housing providers recover lost ground and finally deliver the kind of services residents already take for granted elsewhere.
Robins said, “The real danger is that we leave people behind. AI can speak every language, engage in any format and connect in ways THAT humans sometimes can’t. But trust is everything.
“Do tenants trust the technology and do they trust their housing providers to use it properly? Unless we can demonstrate that it can solve problems faster, save money and improve lives, people won’t buy into it.”
He also noted that some residents actually prefer reporting problems to a bot. He said, “There’s no embarrassment or awkwardness. You just get a clear path to resolution and then a human can step in when needed. That can make a real difference, particularly for groups such as older tenants or single parents who might otherwise avoid reporting problems.”
Switchee’s next decade
Although Switchee has been around for more than a decade, Robins explained that the company’s mission hasn’t shifted: improving the quality of life for people living in rented homes. What excites him now is the chance to connect up what were previously standalone technologies.
He shared an example that felt almost futuristic. With the right infrastructure, it’s now possible to use excess wind energy to not only heat social homes for free but even to pay tenants to keep them warm.
Robins said, “We’ve had the technology for five years, but only now are the market conditions and infrastructure falling into place. By connecting SHDF investment with these capabilities, we can channel resources to the people who need them most.”
Partnerships are central to this approach. Robins spoke about Switchee’s work with Vent-Axia, the UK’s largest extractor fan manufacturer, and with the grid to dissipate surplus energy. The focus, again, is on joining the dots in ways that deliver real value for tenants.
Tackling mould at its roots
Mould and damp remain among the sector’s most urgent problems. Robins said, “Mould isn’t an inconvenience, it’s a killer. We can’t just manage it, we need to solve it.”
That determination underpins MouldIQ, Switchee’s end-to-end service. The system spots mould, analyses the underlying causes, recommends interventions and then proves whether those interventions have worked.
Some housing providers will want the complete package, while others may combine Switchee’s technology with their own contractors or partners such as Plentific. For Robins, the important point is to demonstrate that the problem can be fixed properly. He said, “This isn’t a pipe dream.”
A sector in conversation
Robins was upbeat about the Data Matters 2025 conference itself, describing it as one of the most valuable spaces for genuine sector-wide debate. Senior stakeholders were out in force and the discussions were frank and forward looking. He admitted the lack of government presence was a gap but said it didn’t overshadow the energy in the room.
Final thoughts
For me, Robins’ reflections summed up the essence of Data Matters 2025. AI, energy efficiency and tenant health aren’t separate conversations; they’re different sides of the same challenge. Each depends on data we can trust, systems that connect and leadership that puts tenants first.
What Switchee is doing shows the sector what is possible when innovation meets empathy. The scale of the task is clear but so is the opportunity.
George Grant is the CEO, publisher and co-founder of Housing Technology. Tom Robins is the CEO of Switchee.
