5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Repair Management Solution for Social Housing
In today’s rapidly evolving social housing sector, the pressures on social landlords to deliver high-quality, cost-effective, and compliant repairs services have never been greater. Spiralling costs, new regulatory demands such as Awaab’s Law and Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), and increasing tenant expectations are forcing providers to rethink how they approach property maintenance. Against this backdrop, choosing the right repair management software for social housing is no longer just an IT decision – it’s a strategic one.
For finance directors, IT leaders, and repairs managers, the choice of platform can significantly impact everything from operational efficiency and budget control to tenant satisfaction and compliance. Here are five key questions every social landlord should ask before selecting a new repair management solution.
Is the solution proactive, or just reactive?
Traditional repairs systems often operate reactively – waiting for a tenant to report an issue before action is taken. While this approach has been the norm, it’s increasingly unfit for purpose. Reactive models are inefficient, costly, and leave providers open to repeat issues, disrepair claims, and tenant dissatisfaction.
The best repairs system for social housing providers in 2025 must go further. Look for platforms that harness AI and predictive analytics to spot trends, identify high-risk properties, and tackle issues before they escalate. Solutions like Mobysoft’s RepairSense use machine learning to analyse historic repairs data, flagging repeat issues and enabling proactive intervention. This not only reduces demand but also improves repairs performance in social housing across the board.
Pro Tip: Ask vendors how their platform supports a shift from reactive to predictive maintenance.
How well does the solution integrate with existing systems?
Housing providers often operate with complex, interdependent systems – housing management, CRM, finance, and compliance platforms. A common stumbling block when adopting new technology is poor integration, which can lead to data silos, inefficiencies, and added costs.
When evaluating how to choose repairs software social landlords can trust, ensure the solution integrates seamlessly with your current stack. Platforms like RepairSense are designed with this in mind, working alongside legacy systems and surfacing actionable insights without requiring a full IT overhaul.
Pro Tip: Look for open APIs, easy-to-deploy architecture, and evidence of existing integrations with your core systems.
Does the platform support your data strategy?
A robust data strategy is fundamental to the success of any digital transformation in housing repairs. Without clean, consistent, and well-governed data, even the most advanced repairs platform will underdeliver.
Before making any purchasing decision, consider whether your organisation has a clear data governance framework in place. Is your repairs data reliable and structured? Can you easily link repairs data with tenancy, compliance, and asset information?
Platforms like RepairSense thrive on quality data. They require strong foundations – accurate repair histories, property attributes, and tenancy information – to deliver maximum value. Without this, there’s a risk of misleading insights, poor decision-making, and missed opportunities.
Pro Tip: Ensure that your internal data infrastructure is ready to support AI-driven solutions, and ask providers about onboarding support and data quality assessments.
What operational and financial benefits does the solution offer?
Given rising costs – social landlords in England alone spent £5.5bn on repairs in 2024 – there’s increasing pressure to find cost-effective repairs solutions for councils and housing associations. Any new platform must clearly demonstrate its ability to drive efficiencies and reduce expenditure.
Look for evidence of cost savings, such as reductions in repeat repairs, improved first-time fix rates, streamlined scheduling, or enhanced void management. RepairSense, for example, helps providers avoid up to 35% of unnecessary callouts by flagging misdiagnosed or poor-quality repairs. These operational improvements don’t just save money – they also free up trade teams to focus on high-value work.
Pro Tip: Ask vendors for case studies or ROI calculations from organisations similar to yours.
How does the platform help ensure compliance and tenant satisfaction?
With increasing scrutiny from the Regulator of Social Housing and The Ombudsman, providers must not only deliver good service but prove they are doing so. The introduction of Awaab’s Law has raised the bar for accountability in repairs, especially around issues like damp, mould, and tenant wellbeing.
The best repair management software for social housing enables providers to demonstrate regulatory compliance through auditable logs, data-backed decision-making, and robust reporting. RepairSense, for instance, helps housing teams monitor contractor performance, address recurring issues, and surface risks before they result in complaints or legal action.
Crucially, it also boosts tenant satisfaction. Providers using RepairSense regularly achieve TSM scores over 80%, thanks to faster response times, better communication, and a more joined-up service.
Pro Tip: Ask whether the platform can generate insights and reports that align with your regulatory obligations and satisfaction targets.
Looking Ahead: Building Smarter Repairs Strategies
Choosing a new repair management solution isn’t just about solving today’s problems – it’s about futureproofing your organisation. With repairs demand set to rise and budgets under constant pressure, housing providers need intelligent, scalable tools that deliver real impact.
Equally important is embedding a cultural shift within the organisation. Repairs intelligence platforms are not just software – they’re enablers of smarter, data-driven working across IT, finance, and operational teams. But without a coordinated approach, even the most powerful platform can fall short. That’s why it’s essential to ensure internal alignment, strong leadership sponsorship, and a shared vision for how digital transformation in housing repairs can drive value and better service for tenants.
To find out more about how Mobysoft’s RepairSense platform can help your organisation work smarter, not harder when it comes to repairs and maintenance provision, visit our RepairSense microsite and book a demo today.
