The sector is absolutely critical to the health and wellbeing of the country and yet it could run far more efficiently and safely. Housing is run by many good people doing their best to maintain the quality of the properties they manage and to maintain or improve the lives of the people who live within those properties. Why then does it take something like the tragedy of Grenfell or the Hackitt Report to instil significant change?
Fear of the unknown and change is normally the answer. Some will say cost but in reality, the cost savings and benefits far outweigh the cost of change.
Internet of Things (IoT) technology has been around in many guises for decades and so really should not be seen as an unknown. ATM cash machines have been around for decades and yet we use them regularly for important transactions. Energy networks literally keep the lights on for society and they use the IoT extensively. Why then can’t we use well reliable, secure technology with proven benefits and returns in housing?
The answer is… there is no good reason. We need to embrace digital tools as recommended in the Hackitt report for well managed homes to make teams more efficient, improve conditions. It can also help to ensure compliance with regulations such as Fitness for Human Habitation that are only going to get more onerous, and for good reason.
The only limit to what we can do is our imagination. Pick any of the challenges you have in running your housing stock, especially the mundane repetitive jobs and contact us here at iOpt to see how technology can give you back more resources to deliver a safer, better, healthier service not only for your customers but also your team.
iOpt, the Internet of Property Things experts for social Housing.