Category: Social Housing
The Housing Ombudsman has released its latest spotlight report, focusing on knowledge and information management of social housing providers.
The report covers recommendations for record keeping and how information is managed and used to maintain minimum standards across the sector including governance, repairs, and reporting standards. It also highlights how a lack of information management can have significant negative impacts on residents, particularly around vulnerabilities when landlords do not record or fail to use its data properly.
As part of its review, the Housing Ombudsman covered issues within its casework, identifying that approximately two thirds of the cases being upheld had concerns with the data available.
The report also details the responses to the call for evidence. It reveals 56% of respondents having issues accessing or being provided with records in order to respond to complaints, with 82% of those saying it impacts their ability to fully address complaints.
Richard Blakeway, housing ombudsman said, “The correlation between poor knowledge and information management and delay, poor communication, financial uncertainty and poor complaints handling, and the human consequences of that, are evident throughout our casework.”
“Successful knowledge and information management starts with an understanding and appreciation of its benefits to both the landlord and its residents. This needs to be centrally led, with senior leaders clear about the importance of knowledge and information management, and their standards and expectations.”
The recommendations of the report include:
- Implementation of a knowledge and information management strategy.
- Training of staff on the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
- Review of internal guidance around recording vulnerabilities.
- Development of organisation data recording standards.
- Stress tests of systems before a merger to ensure data can be securely accessed and transferred.
- Provide clear requirements to operatives to ensure appropriate measures have been taken before an appointment is recorded as missed.
How can TPTracker help social housing landlords implement the recommendations?
At TPTracker we understand how vital it is to have clear lines of communication and reliable record keeping. Our software solution enables landlords to securely store information on its tenants, including personal details, preferences, and disability requirements. This information management system is vital to our clients when engaging with residents. It can also be used as part of a housing provider’s strategy to focus on continuous service improvement with regular surveying and reporting of tenant satisfaction. Learn more about TPTracker Software for social housing providers and get in touch to arrange a demo.
