A new report from Capita has suggested that housing providers should be looking at ways of harnessing the Internet of Things (IoT) to help increase efficiencies and improve their services to tenants.
The paper, titled ‘Smarter property management: when the Internet of Things meets smart asset management’, explores how housing providers could use the IoT (the concept where all devices, such as heaters, boilers, and fridges, are connected to the internet) to help cut their annual bill for repairs to ‘non-decent’ homes through smart asset management. Devices such as smart meters, humidity sensors and smart boilers are highlighted in the report as potential breakthroughs that housing providers should be considering for their stock.
Some of the suggestions in Capita’s report include:
- By receiving constant accurate information on the state of their housing, providers would be able to carry out repairs exactly at the point of need and ensure they prevent costly problems;
- The IoT could save a huge amount of administrative time, phone calls, and multiple visits to diagnose and carry out repairs;
- Further savings could be made on insurance and lending premiums, if a housing provider can provide an up-to-the-minute assessment of the condition of all of its housing stock.
Roger Birkinshaw, director of housing, Capita’s software services business, said: “Many housing providers don’t realise that the technology behind the IoT is now a reality. This report is a timely reminder to housing providers that if they want to make the most of this emerging technology, they should be building it into their business plans as soon as possible.”
