Time-consuming billing processes have been replaced with a more efficient system at Monmouthshire Housing now that it’s using Procurement for Housing’s electronic payment services agreement via Allpay.
Monmouthshire Housing had previously used a paper-based system, with its staff posting direct debit mandates to tenants and manually submitting payments to the bank. Every year, the housing provider would manually input payment profiles for all 2,500 tenants into its housing management system, which took three members of staff up to three weeks to complete and resulted in some rent payments being delayed.
With an above-average proportion (55 per cent) of tenants paying their rent via direct debit, Monmouthshire Housing wanted a more efficient way to manage these payments.
Helped by PfH and their account manager at Allpay, Monmouthshire Housing quickly switched to a cloud-based system that lets staff create and amend direct debits online or over the phone with tenants. Monmouthshire Housing estimates that it will save over £30,000 in staff time, postage, printing and processing over the next four years.
Tenants who don’t pay by direct debit or standing order have been sent an Allpay card which they can use to pay their rent via an automated phone line, Allpay mobile app or text message.
Mark Winstanley, database manager, Monmouthshire Housing, said, “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to pay their rent, and the Allpay solution offers great flexibility and a wide range of payment options. Although universal credit hasn’t hit us fully yet, it does mean that we have the facilities ready for when it does come in.”
