New research: how housing providers are planning for the future

In response to the challenges facing our customers, we commissioned a research series and roundtable event with Inside Housing. Exploring three related issues –  asset management, data maturity and resident engagement – this interactive report brings together survey findings and commentary from leading voices in the sector.

Top 3 challenges

Compiled by Inside Housing, the report highlights that while providers are fighting on multiple fronts, three issues continue to dominate:

1. The impact of ageing assets on repairs and maintenance performance
2. How fragmented systems inhibit confidence and undermine compliance
3. The gap between expectation and reality when it comes to the resident experience

Across three surveys and one roundtable, we dived deep into the issues to help providers explore the best way forward.

“Perfect storm” in asset management

Survey respondents from registered social landlords along with local or combined authorities cited repairs costs (49%), a lack of joined up data (35%) and poor stock condition (30%) as major areas of concern.

They felt that reform to the Decent Homes Standard was considered likely to have the biggest impact on their asset management strategies, closely followed by Awaab’s Law and energy efficiency requirements. At the roundtable, L&Q’s director of major programmes Mark Newstead described these factors as creating a “perfect storm” that would challenge the capacity of the industry as a whole.

Digital maturity needs connected data

Also at the roundtable, Enfield Council’s investment programme director Fiona Williamson pointed to the difficultly of combining data on residents, asset and compliance. To try and complete their warmer homes and decent homes work at the same time, they were working from an “amazingly colour-coded spreadsheet” to manage the data for 58 high rises. Everyone spoke to the complexity – and necessity – of gathering the right data from the outset to enable better decision-making in the future.

The survey results on digital maturity paint a similar picture, with 56% of respondents stating a desire to better harness the capabilities of AI – an area where good data is vital. And when asked about the challenges that prevented organisations from becoming more data-mature, 72% cited a lack of well-connected systems: an issue that hinders not just effective asset management but also a connected resident experience.

Co-creating resident experiences is key

When asked what would help to provide a better digital experience to residents, money and expertise lost out to co-creation, a factor cited by 60% of respondents. This correlates with the level of confidence in the sector as a whole, with respondents rating residents’ current digital experience as five out of 10, suggesting major room for improvement.

The final survey on how well providers know their residents uncovered that smart devices and analytics technologies are still relatively underused, even though data remains a key issue. Only 19% of respondents said their organisation uses predictive analytics and/or AI to predict rent arrears, for example.

Looking to the future

Trevor Hampton, our director of housing solutions, believes this slow take-up will soon change: “The ability to identify an issue with a rent payment or a repair early can make a profound difference to the outcome for the tenant. Predictive modelling has become an advanced science, and AI tools have added to the quality of the predictions.”

The report makes clear that the future of social housing relies on accurate, connected, organisation‑wide data that can inform asset strategies, elevate resident experiences and support early, preventative action. It’s why we focus on integrated platforms, analytics and digital tools that deliver a more proactive, compliant and future‑ready approach to housing management.

Find out more

To read the full findings and hear from roundtable participants, explore the report here.