Homes for Haringey today officially launches a new mobile app which allows tenants to report housing repairs and estate issues easily, as well as providing easy links to pay rent, search for housing and much more. Available on smartphones, mobile devices and the web, the app can be downloaded free by Homes for Haringey’s residents.
Building stronger communities is one of the main aims of Homes for Haringey and its new mobile app will help to achieve this. The app also includes features that encourage community involvement and has links to how tenants can improve services in the local area or be involved in community projects. Also, users of the app will be able to keep up-to-date with the latest news from Homes for Haringey – another way for tenants to keep informed.
The smartphone app means tenants can complete tasks like paying rent or reporting repairs on the go and at a convenient time without the need to phone Customer Services. A bonus is that reducing the need for routine matters to be handled over the phone or face-to-face frees up customer service staff to deal with more complex enquiries.
The simplest feature within the mobile app is the easy-to-use repair reporting function. Requests for repairs can be logged as soon as they are noticed, with a function to identify and locate the problem. Tenants can also send pictures, along with a brief description, of their repair and submit it directly to Homes for Haringey’s housing repairs portal. Questions, confirmations and updates relating to the repair, to be sent directly to the tenant’s phone, helping us further improve the efficiency of Homes For Haringey’s in-house repairs team, which deals with over 60,000 repairs a year.
As well as the repair option, the app includes money and benefits advice, job search and a home-finding function. The money and benefits advice provided by The Money Advice service and information on Universal Credit (UC) are particularly crucial in light of the recent UC rollout, resulting in many tenants now having to budget their benefit income.
The app is an example of a new approach to Community and Resident Engagement which will shape how Homes for Haringey will work with residents to identify new and better ways for tenants and leaseholders to have their say about what the business does and how it does it. At its heart is the principle that more residents will be able to say what they think, in more ways, more of the time.
Homes for Haringey’s Managing Director Andrew Billany said: “Growing numbers of our residents use smart phones and the internet, saving them time in their busy lives. We are looking to use new ways of working to broaden the number of people we can engage with, moving beyond just having evening meetings and small groups. We intend that everyone can find out what we are doing where they live, and take part in helping us make their home a better place to live in. Talking is important, of course, but finding additional ways to get the message across will offer quick and easy options for people and make sure we know what is needed”