Feature in New Statesman, November 2024: Housing providers must take a resident first approach to improve standards.
The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020 should never have happened. Awaab’s case, which resulted from prolonged mould exposure in his family’s rented social home, made it clear that more needs to be done to avoid such a preventable death from occurring again.
In the ongoing battle against mould, the housing sector has largely fallen short. To ensure healthy homes for all, a paradigm shift was needed – one driven by innovation, empathy, and communication. By introducing Awaab’s Law, the UK government has taken the necessary steps to ensure residents’ concerns are taken seriously and addressed. This landmark legislation, born out of a distressing tragedy, represents the beginning of this change. Awaab’s Law must be viewed as an immediate call to action in terms of addressing concerns within an appropriate timeline and acknowledging the urgent statutory timeline.
With clear guidelines for landlords and tenants, Awaab’s Law aims to simplify addressing damp and mould and other Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards by mandating social landlords to deal with reported health hazards promptly and within legislated time frames, documenting all actions and keeping residents informed. Tom Robins, the chief executive of Switchee, said: “Awaab’s Law has sparked some concern amongst social housing landlords, particularly around resource allocation, legal ramifications, first-time access to residents’ homes, and the nature and complexity of the repairs required.
“While some of our customers have highlighted to me the pressure that they face to deliver the requirements within the strict timescales proposed by the new legislation, my clear message back to them is always one of reassurance. Providers should see Awaab’s Law as an opportunity to be empowered to take action and drive long-term positive change.
“We believe in the power of technology to change the way we solve big problems for real people. Addressing issues like fuel poverty requires a data-led approach, ensuring that immediate support reaches those who need it most. That’s why we introduced Switchee’s free Energy Voucher Service, a proactive initiative in collaboration with UK housing providers. By using Switchee data, we will identify people living in cold, unsafe conditions, and offer a £49 energy voucher for immediate relief, straight to their smart Switchee device. Within hours, we can help a person or family afford to turn their heating on – and feel the comfort and warmth that everyone deserves. “Most housing providers are actually in a position to deliver this effectively – it just requires a slight change in approach. It means recognising the importance of prioritising resident engagement. In reality, this means always maintaining transparent communication, keeping accurate records, and providing clarity on the timescales for resolving issues in homes.
“By creating a resident-first approach, not only will it help produce stronger relationships between providers and residents that are built on trust, but it will also reduce the need for tenants to invoke Awaab’s Law through the court system.” While the idea of Awaab’s Law can seem daunting to social housing providers – especially as official timescales for implementation have not yet been announced – preparation can and should begin now, Tom advises. “This preparation will not be cost-free,” he says. “It will mean investing time and resources to engage with residents now, reviewing the customer journey and upskilling internal teams. Being ready for the introduction of Awaab’s Law will also mean improving capabilities to handle new reporting requirements or legal preparations such as upgrading tenancy agreements.” When adopting this resident-first approach, providers need to be flexible as residents’ trust in the system varies. While some residents are very engaged, there are a significant number who are disengaged for a variety of reasons – it is critical that this more silent group is not forgotten. This is why many social landlords are increasingly embracing new technologies and innovations to achieve the desired cut through with all residents.
Switchee’s communications functionality is proving to be an effective solution for this. Our smart, in-home device, which is already being used by over 130 social housing providers, offers a means of two-way communications. This enables direct communication between residents and providers via an in-home display, which sees 88 per cent of residents respond within the first 24 hours. It is making it easier for residents to report hazards in homes, and ensure they remain engaged every step of the way. As we focus on creating new affordable homes, we must not lose sight of improving our existing housing stock. Switchee data reveals that last winter, 3.7 million UK households, 13 per cent of the population, were in fuel poverty. Initiatives such as Warm Homes are essential in addressing the injustice of poverty. Tom is passionate about the role technology plays in tackling housing issues: “Our internet of things (IoT) technology goes beyond communication, offering a proactive and practical means for landlords to tackle damp and mould, with innovation at its heart.
It allows housing providers to proactively monitor housing stock conditions. With Switchee’s real-time property data and actionable insights, the risk of mould is identified early on, driving social housing landlords to act before the presence of mould poses a threat to human life. “What our technology shows is that landlords can take a proactive approach now to address hazards before Awaab’s Law comes into play. Many are already doing this, and the opportunity now is for the social housing sector to work together and collaborate with each other and partners like Switchee, so we can engage and support residents early on.” Last month’s Autumn Budget included a range of welcome announcements on housing including an initial £3.4bn for the Warm Homes Plan to invest in heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency.
However, it is crucial that further funding is provided in Phase 2 of the Spending Review so that social housing providers are fully empowered to deliver warm, energy-efficient homes, reduce carbon emissions, tackle fuel poverty, support green jobs, develop the retrofit sector, and improve the health and well-being of social housing tenants. With £500m available within the Affordable Homes Programme the homes of the future must be forward-thinking and tech-savvy, while the Warm Homes Plan is vital to addressing retrofit issues. Ultimately, Awaab’s Law will ensure both types of homes are safe for residents, however tech is essential to both. Tom concludes: “Our Switchee technology enables this to be achievable, and as we build on our data and knowledge, resident wellbeing becomes a more viable reality, and we can seek to prevent further tragedies. In essence, technology could be the true power behind Awaab’s Law as we move forward.”
For more information about adding Switchee to your housing portfolio, contact our team today.
