Housing Repairs
Councils are responsible for providing repairs to socially rented properties. Most users access the service by phone and it is typically the service with highest volumes. The service is attractive to provide digitally, however when an acceptable telephone channel exists take-up is often low, possibly due to:
- failure demand, with users calling for updates on existing requests
- lack of clarity as to responsibility for repairs
- complex diagnosis
- urgent/dangerous repairs not suited to digital channel
- preference to speak to agent
- demographics of tenants same as those likely to be digitally excluded
We are working with Lincoln Council, Gravesham Council and Lewisham Homes on a discovery to define a common service pattern for housing repairs to understand:
- barriers to adoption of digital repairs services
- the elements best suited to self service
- optimal uses of technology to improve user satisfaction, reduce costs, which may not be the initial logging of the repairs
- work on digital repairs services & user research already undertaken by councils
- how service pattern can be mapped to the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT) repairs data standard
The discovery is one of the 16 nationally funded MHCLG Local Digital #FixThePlumbing projects.
Our discovery completed on 24 April 2019. Project deliverables include:
- MHCLG local gov fund application
- Discovery report
- Report presentation summary
- Clickable wireframes
- Week notes
Our Alpha completed on 17th February 2020. Project deliverables include:
- Final report - including User research, Recommendations and Business case for Beta
- Protypes
- MHCLG local gov fund application
- Beta Application presentattion
Page last updated: 11 March 2020
