Spotting the Silence: The Crucial Role of RepairSense in Social Housing Maintenance

In the social housing sector, effective repairs management is critical – not just for tenant satisfaction but also for operational efficiency, compliance, and overall reputation. The cost of repairs is rising at a significant rate for social housing providers due to factors many and varied, with recent reports indicating that social landlords invested a record £771m in repairs and maintenance in Q1 of 2024/25 alone.

Whilst many of these spiralling costs are beyond the control of social housing providers and simply must be endured, there are some that can be mitigated by organisations themselves. One of the biggest challenges in approaching this however lies in “spotting the silence” – the unseen, unreported, or recurring repair issues that, if left unchecked, can escalate into larger, costlier problems.

Mobysoft’s RepairSense platform, a cutting-edge solution leveraging predictive analytics, AI, and automation, is revolutionising how social landlords tackle these challenges. In this post, we’ll explore why addressing repeat repair issues is vital and how RepairSense transforms social housing maintenance for the benefit of social landlords and tenants alike.

The Hidden Costs of Unresolved Repairs

Unaddressed or recurrent repair problems have a ripple effect on tenants, housing providers, and properties:

Tenant Wellbeing: Issues, such as damp and mould, can deteriorate living conditions, impacting tenant health and satisfaction.

Service Inefficiencies: Persistent issues result in repeated visits, resource wastage, and increased operational costs.

Reputation Damage: Housing providers risk negative publicity when unresolved issues escalate into legal disputes or tenant complaints.

Compliance Failures: Housing standards enforcement mandates timely repair resolutions. Ignoring these can lead to disrepair claims, fines, or decant costs.

RepairSense steps in to address these concerns head-on, turning reactive maintenance into a proactive, data-driven strategy.

How RepairSense Helps Spot the Silence

Improved Tenant Satisfaction

With RepairSense software, housing providers gain powerful tools to deliver a seamless tenant experience:

Automated Diagnostics: The platform identifies recurring issues across repair logs, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

Proactive Maintenance: Mobysoft predictive analytics anticipates potential issues before they arise, ensuring timely intervention.

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs): Housing providers can track and improve key satisfaction metrics using RepairSense insights. By reducing repair delays and ensuring high-quality outcomes, RepairSense positively impacts TSM scores and reinforces tenant trust.

Tenant Wellbeing and Engagement: By identifying common themes in tenant complaints, RepairSense enables landlords can address systemic issues before they escalate, improving tenant satisfaction and reducing the need for reactive measures.

Boosting Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings

Enhanced Maintenance Workflow Optimisation

The platform integrates seamlessly with existing housing management systems, enabling housing maintenance management to be streamlined without disrupting workflows. By focusing on housing asset management, it helps extend the life of properties while reducing long-term costs.

Supporting Operatives and Improving Employee Experience

A robust repairs management software like RepairSense doesn’t just improve tenant experiences – it empowers the workforce:

Improved Communication: Operatives receive detailed job information, reducing errors and misunderstandings.
Employee Satisfaction: Better workflows and clearer data foster a positive working environment, boosting employee Net Promoter Scores (eNPS).
Skills Development: RepairSense has the potential to highlight skill gaps, helping providers implement targeted training programs amongst trades colleagues.

Tackling Damp and Mould, and Ensuring Compliance

Damp and Mould Prevention with RepairSense

The platform plays a crucial role in providing proactive housing damp solutions by analysing historic repairs data to identify high-risk properties. With AI in housing repairs, providers can proactively address problems, reducing repeat damp and mould repair cases.

Compliance in Housing Maintenance

Housing providers must meet rigorous landlord repair obligations and comply with housingrepair regulations. RepairSense’s comprehensive surfacing and organising of relevant data helps ensure audits are streamlined and repair records are accurate and complete. This reduces the risk of legal disputes and regulatory penalties.

Reducing Disrepair Claims and Decant Costs

Unresolved issues often lead to costly disrepair claims, tarnishing a provider’s reputation. By addressing recurring problems through maintenance workflow optimisation, RepairSense minimises these risks. Moreover, proactive repairs prevent tenant decants, saving time and money.

Easier Void Management

The platform helps reduce void periods (the time between tenancies when a property is unoccupied) by speeding up the repairs and maintenance required to make homes ready for new tenants. This ensures properties can be let more quickly, reducing revenue loss from vacant homes.

Key Features of Mobysoft’s RepairSense Platform

Detailed Reporting: RepairSense generates reports that housing providers can use to monitor operational efficiency, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and provide evidence of compliance during audits or inspections.

Predictive Analytics: RepairSense leverages data to predict when future repairs or maintenance may be required, helping social housing providers move towards proactive maintenance rather than reactive. For example, by analyzing past repairs, it can anticipate when a boiler or roof will need servicing, reducing emergency repair calls and preventing costly failures.

Efficient Resource Allocation: By automating the job allocation process, Mobysoft RepairSense ensures that the right people are assigned to the right tasks at the right time, avoiding unnecessary callouts or rework. This saves on labour costs and improves job efficiency.

Real-Time Updates: Tenants receive updates on the status of their repair requests, such as when a job has been assigned, when the repair is scheduled, or when it has been completed. This increases transparency and reduces uncertainty for tenants.

Regulatory Compliance: The platform helps social housing providers maintain compliance with housing regulations by automatically logging all repairs, maintenance activities, and safety checks. It also ensures that all legally required repairs, such as gas safety inspections, are carried out on time.

Seamless Integration: Works with existing housing software that housing providers may already be using, such as housing management software, CRM tools, or financial systems. This means that housing providers can manage repairs alongside other aspects of their operations without needing to switch between multiple platforms.

Why Repeat Repairs Are a Symptom, Not the Problem

Silent issues like damp, mould, or unseen disrepair such as structural issues like cracks, and sagging ceilings often point to underlying systemic problems. RepairSense transforms these pain points into actionable insights, addressing the root causes rather than treating the symptoms. For instance:

Identifying properties with frequent leaks signals structural issues.
Highlighting recurring complaints in tenant groups can reveal communication gaps.
Tracking operatives’ performance ensures quality work and reduces callbacks.

A Sustainable Future for Social Housing

Sustainability is becoming a central focus for housing providers. With RepairSense benefits, providers can transition towards preventive maintenance, reducing waste, and ensuring properties are energy-efficient. This not only aligns with environmental goals but also helps secure funding and maintain tenant trust.

RepairSense: Redefining Housing Repair Solutions

Mobysoft’s RepairSense platform empowers social landlords to manage repairs more effectively, improve tenant satisfaction, and reduce operational costs. By focusing on data-driven insights, it enables housing providers to spot the silence and address silent issues before they spiral into larger problems.

Key Takeaways:

Proactive Repairs: Prevents repeat issues and reduces emergency calls.
Tenant-Centric Solutions: Enhances engagement and satisfaction.
Compliance Assurance: Simplifies audits and ensures housing repair regulations are met.
Cost-Efficiency: Streamlines workflows, reduces waste, and optimises resource allocation.

Don’t let silent issues compromise your service quality. Visit our dedicated RepairSense microsite today to learn how your organisation can benefit from smarter, data-driven repairs management.

About
Latest Posts

Mobysoft

Founded in 2003, Mobysoft provides predictive data insight solutions to a wide range of social housing clients, supplying technology to help landlords to improve their income-collection processes for the good of all involved. Mobysoft delivers two market-leading products RentSense and RepairSense which help keep tenants housed in a home they can enjoy and simultaneously improves rent collection for the long term good of the organisation and its tenants.