OptusApp

Last chance to register for tomorrow's EMPIENT webinar (9.30am on 19th April). Register at: https://lnkd.in/ep6YB-Gq Unbelievable offer for small social housing landlords. Full service pack totally free-of-charge for 6 months -- with no commercial tie-ins afterwards. It's simply the most powerful and flexible tenant self-serve solution available in the UK. #tanants #socialhousing #landlords #housingassociations #G320 #selfserve

Exciting news for SMALL social landlords. EMPIENT is just for you -- and it's free for 6 months when you join our webinar this Friday (19th). Register at: https://lnkd.in/eiXuUYA5 No integration required and no technical skills needed -- EMPIENT is simply plug-and-play. Allow your tenants to report repairs, ASB and nuisance noise, pay rent, complete surveys and register for community events. Register for the webinar, or for more details contact: * Dave Loudon ([email protected]) * Ben Jenkins ([email protected])

Burnley is in the news. Progressive thinking Calico Homes, in Burnley Lancashire, have just signed with OptusApp as their new customer facing self-serve solution – due to roll out later this year 👏 👏. They’ve chosen the UK’s most powerful self-serve solution – Calico are great people to work with 🎉🎊 Read the full press release at: https://lnkd.in/eHc_JKw7   OptusApp Calico Homes #socialhousing #housingassociation #housing #housingapp #landlords #socialhousingnews #housingrepairs #housingpolicy #housingstandards #proptech

A senior figure has warned that most landlords have some “distance to travel” to comply with new customer standards, as the first judgements under the English regulator’s new inspection regime are expected this summer. Speaking to Inside Housing, Jonathan Walters, deputy chief executive of the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), said there were “too many landlords” with out-of-date stock information and the majority will miss out on a top grade for the new revised consumer standards. What are your thoughts on this? Comment down below! #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing

The regulator for social housing is currently consulting on changes to its consumer standards for the sector and how it will regulate landlords against these. These new standards are expected to come into effect in April 2024. Replacing the current standards are the following four new ones: - the Safety and Quality Standard (replacing the Home Standard); - the Tenancy Standard (replacing the old Tenancy Standard) - the Neighbourhood and Community Standard (replacing the old Neighbourhood and Community Standard) - the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard (replacing the Tenant Involvement and Empowerment Standard). What are your thoughts on this? Do you think that these new standards are needed, or were the current ones already sufficient? #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing

The Housing Ombudsman recently published its latest statistics on complaints in 2022/23. These stats show that, for the first time ever, more than 5,000 complaints were escalated for formal investigation, representing a 27% increase on the previous year. According to research conducted by Housemark, around 40% of tenants don’t feel that their housing provider listens to their concerns, or takes action to remedy problems. This is clearly a complicated issue with a vast range of causes, and no two people’s experiences will ever be the same, however, could this problem be improved through a more effective method of reporting problems? Here at OptusApp, our platform makes it easier than ever for tenants to not only report problems, but also to manage their rent account and make payments, all for a cost of just £1.50 per household. To find out more about our app, and how it can be of enormous benefit to both tenants and landlords, go to https://optusapp.com/. #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing

For the third year running, Vienna in Austria has been ranked as the world’s ‘most liveable city’, with low rent prices being cited as one of the key reasons for this. But how has this been possible, and what can London learn from Vienna’s achievements? It all stems from an ambitious building programme which came into effect at the end of the first World War, with 65,000 socially rented apartments shooting up within the city in the following 15-or-so years, funded by taxes on luxuries such as champagne or horse-riding. Today, a quarter of people who live in Vienna are social tenants, making it the largest home-owning city in Europe. Do you think that other cities in Europe, particularly London, could look to emulate this model, or do you think that this opportunity has passed by? #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing

London councils have warned that local authorities will face a £400 million funding gap in 2024-25, due to service pressures and costs. This £400m funding shortfall is roughly the same amount as London boroughs collectively spend on homelessness in a year. This will undoubtedly be concerning news for local authorities and residents alike. To what extent do you expect that your residents will be affected by this, and which actions do you think should be taken to mitigate this impact? #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing

Following the launch of two policy consultations, the government has told councils in England that they should prioritise brownfield developments - that is, previously developed land that is no longer being used - whilst also raising the bar for refusing brownfield plans for big city councils that are failing to meet their locally agreed house building targets. A spokesperson for the government said “the focus on brownfield land and urban development is part of the government’s plan to take a common sense approach to delivering the housing that is needed, protecting the countryside and green belt.” What are your thoughts on this? Do you think that this is a necessary step to ensuring that more councils meet their targets for building new homes? #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing 

In last year’s autumn statement, the chancellor announced an end to a four-year cash freeze in LHA rates, and that from April 2024, it will be reset to match the 30th percentile of local rents in September 2023. Whilst many have welcomed this change, with some claiming that it will “bring welcome relief to many of Britain’s poorest households”, some have been less enthusiastic, with a recent study cited by Social Housing claiming that these changes do not go far enough to support those who need it the most. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think that these changes will ease the financial strain of housing costs for some of Britain’s poorest families, or do you think that further action is needed? #housing #ukhousing #housingapp #landlords #housingassociation #socialhousingnews #housingnews #housingrepairs #socialhousing #lha #localhousingallowance