Incommunities, the Yorkshire based social housing landlord, reports success in defending disrepair claims backed up by data from a pilot project with Republic of Things.
The Incommunities Investment and Regeneration team has been running the pilot with Republic of Things, who specialise in cost effective digital solutions for public sector organisations to help improve service standards.
Republic of Things developed mobile humidistats which the housing team has been using to enable the measuring of ambient temperature and humidity in customers’ homes with data relayed back to a secure dashboard at property level showing key metrics over set time periods.
Pilot lead and asset surveyor at Incommunities, Brian Murray, said: “When dealing with disrepair claims we often diagnose under or over heating as a primary cause of damp and mould.
“Although we can give advice and guidance to our customers, with these sensors we can have actual data over time which shows how the customer is heating their home.
“This can prompt advice but also help us in defending disrepair claims that we receive.”
The Investment and Regeneration team commenced fitting sensors in disrepair cases and Housing Standards referrals in January 2021.
Customers are given the option to refuse the sensors and, although this has happened in a number of cases, this evidence can form part of the disrepair claim defence.
The use of the humidistats has already led to success in cases where sensors have been fitted, with indicative savings of £40,000 to date where Incommunities has been able to use the data to defend disrepair cases.
Head of Investment and Regeneration at Incommunites, Helen Gibson said “We are delighted with the success of the project so far with 20 units in use.
“We have been able to use the data to defend claims and also to work with customers to prevent issues occurring and improve wellbeing.
“The humidistats can detect for example movement, or lack of movement, in a house and also humidity to enable advice to be given regarding drying clothes indoors and maintaining adequate ventilation and heating.
“We intend to continue the project and hope to roll it out to even more homes in the coming months.”
Malcolm Evans, Republic of Things director, said: “We are delighted that Incommunities are discovering that good devices can better track various activities within homes.”
Image: Muhammad Irfan, Asset Surveyor at Incommunities, with one of the humidistats
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