3 pressing issues in social housing 2022
It’s hard to recall a time that’s felt tumultuous on so many fronts. The death of a monarch, a change of Prime Minister and a new-look Government, rising fuel costs, inflation that’s proving impossible to control and interest rates creeping up – all factors that weigh heavy during a cost-of-living crisis. Nowhere are struggles and changes more keenly felt than in the social housing sector, with both tenants and providers are facing challenges.
Viewber has been providing property visits, inspections, reports and viewing services to the social housing sector for several years, and our relationships with property managers has made us acutely aware of pressing issues lie ahead. Here we look at the top three areas of concern, including details of how Viewber can help.
- Delivering decarbonisation in social housing
Social landlords face increasing pressure to reduce carbon output, especially with two deadlines looming: the requirement for social housing to have a minimum EPC rating of C by 2030, and the Government’s aim to be a carbon net zero country by 2050.
While carbon neutral homes are more easily achieved when built from scratch, the logistics of retrofitting energy saving features to existing social housing stock are nothing short of monumental. A ‘fabric first’ approach – prioritising changes to a home’s structure, such as improved insulation, over technology – is favoured but at what cost? And who foots the bill?
Inside Housing forecast that an eco-friendly retrofit to all social housing in the UK to meet zero carbon standards will cost £104billion, with the decarbonisation of each property costing an average of £20,747. While the Government’s £3.8 billion Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund sounds substantial, the sector is concerned the budget is not adequate enough to cover the scale of the retrofitting required in the timeframes set out. Lingering political uncertainty over the administration of the fund is now compounded by the appointment of a new Government, together with the rising cost of materials and a shortage of skilled labour.
Viewber can help with the practicalities of decarbonisation work being undertaken by letting in contractors, locking up after work has been completed and filing post-installation reports on behalf of property managers.
- Meeting new fire safety standards
Safety within social housing remains in the spotlight following the Building Safety Act obtaining Royal Assent earlier in 2022. This bill will change how council-owned and housing association run properties are designed, built and managed.
The issues surrounding fire and building safety are already complex. Firex 2022 identified that there was ‘no single document that looked at all the standards or regulations associated to homeowners and social renters’, while evacuation requirements as set out in the Fire Safety Order are widely not met in the social housing sector, especially when it comes to the needs of disabled tenants.
To counteract any failings, it’s recommended that Person Centred Risk Assessments (PCRAs) replace tick-box exercises, the communication fire procedures, such as a ‘stay put’ policy, should be strengthened and fire safety checks become more frequent.
Of course, fire safety is now explicitly linked with cladding, post Grenfell, and the introduction of The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 now requires property managers and social landlords with multi-occupied buildings to undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors. It’s also mandatory to make quarterly checks of all fire doors in common parts where the residential building is more than 11 metres in height.
This new legislation works in tandem with PAS 9980:2022 – a new code of practice pertaining to fire risk, including the appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of existing blocks of flats.
With improving, but more involved, fire safety standards, Viewber has developed two specific services designed specifically to help property managers and social landlords: fire door and emergency exit checks, and smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm testing.
- Adoption of & access to technology
While Baby Boomers and those from younger generations will be familiar with apps, iPhones and everything online, not all social housing tenants are. Older generations, including those in extra care homes, can feel like they are cut off and left behind as communication from housing managers increasingly becomes digital.
Thankfully, projects such as TAPPI (Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation) are granting social landlords funding so they can help develop their digital services with the active involvement of older tenants.
While knowing how to report repairs online or digitally track rent payments via a dashboard is good for efficiency and accountability, it’s of little help if you can’t stay connected. Clanmill Housing Association has spotted the potential for digital disconnection and social isolation due to the cost-of-living crisis, with its staff already speaking with tenants who are reducing or stopping their mobile data use due to financial pressures.
To counteract this, Clanmill is working with The National Databank to offer its most vulnerable tenants free mobile data. Described as a digital foodbank, The National Databank is run by Virgin Media O2 and digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation.
If tenant welfare during the cost-of-living crisis is increasingly an issue, Viewber can provide relevant, in-person checks as and when needed, identifying vulnerable people, listening to concerns and reporting safety issues.
Viewber is continuing to support the busy and often under-resourced social housing sector, providing a flexible way to manage more properties, meet KPIs and increase standards. If you would like to know how our social housing services could help your department, please contact us today.
