Soho Housing Association has partnered with digital repairs and property management platform EVO in its bid to digitise its repairs service as part of a drive towards improving services to residents.
The partnership will see EVO take over the responsibility of the management and delivery of repairs, contractors and documentation relating to the repairs process for a pilot involving approximately a quarter of Soho Housing’s properties.
The company will deliver a simple app to residents who will use it to report problems at the push of a button which then kicks off a series of automated workflows for the repair process, including full transparency of job progress and a 12-month warranty, thus improving the service provided to users.
The move by Soho Housing is made with the aim of improving satisfaction, resident engagement and digital understanding.
EVO’s technology will focus on improving the customer journey and places residents at the heart of one of Soho Housing’s key service areas.
‘Truly digital repairs service’
Steven Rae, chief executive of EVO, said: “The undersupply of quality social housing is a common theme in the media at the moment but most of the commentary focusses on development which, while important in itself, there are swathes that need fixing first and even more that require a simple solution or upgrade to prevent them from being taken out of supply.
“Innovative housing associations like Soho HA are recognising that digital transformation is crucial to support this mission to deliver safe and secure homes that meet the decent homes standard.
“Our technology is simple and user friendly and enables repairs to be carried out quickly and smoothly, removing a layer of unnecessary resource that can be used effectively elsewhere within the organisation.”
Barbara Brownlee, chief executive of Soho Housing Association, said: “As an organisation we are always looking at how we can deliver the best possible service to our residents.
“Our partnership with EVO allows us to deliver a truly digital repairs service to our residents and we are confident users will quickly see the benefits this service can offer.
“We are excited to see the improvement in the quality of repairs and maintenance as a service and positive feedback from our residents as a result.”
Housing Digital Stakeholder EVO is a modern digital solution bringing convenience and transparency to the property maintenance sector for both tenants and landlords. EVO currently works with landlords, housing associations, and local authorities as part of its shared mission to support people’s access to decent quality housing
Image: Steve Norris, EVO chair; and Barbara Brownlee, CEO of Soho Housing Association
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