UK social housing associations improve voids performance
UK social housing providers cut void turnaround time & costs dramatically
One of the most requested projects we facilitate is improving the end-to-end voids & lettings process performance. This is because our Voids & lettings project typically delivers:
A quicker process, reducing financial loss & increasing income
An excellent customer experience, creating a positive first impression for your new residents
A more effective and efficient process, resulting in fewer errors, reduced operating costs, happier staff and better cross team relationships
Our projects often result in better customer retention too, therefore avoiding a void altogether!
We have been working with UK housing providers since 2009; see the results that other housing organisations have achieved in some of our project case studies below. Typically our voids and lettings projects will have an ROI of between 3:1 and 8:1, depending on your starting position.
Improving voids & lettings virtually at Grand Union
During the first lockdown Grand Union Housing approached us about working with them to improve their Voids and Lettings process. We changed to a virtual delivery model utilising tools like MS Teams and Mural, and working with an incredibly motivated and driven team from Grand Union we were able to collectively design a significantly better performing process.
“The experience of the whole process was a very positive one. Made particularly enjoyable by our Ad Esse Consultant who has a flare for communication, an ability to bring different people together and created an inclusive environment (virtual or not). No easy task with a mix of personalities and characters.” – Emma Sheer, Allocations Manager at Grand Union
79% reduced void turnaround time at One Housing
With the help of our voids process review, the team at One Housing reduced void turnaround times, improved the customer experience, and established a more strategic voids management approach built on inter-team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
“The way voids are managed within One Housing has been transformed through this review. We’re delighted with the results so far, and the teams are energised to drive even more improvement.” – Dan Oehlman, former Head of Business Change at One Housing
£114K reduction in rent loss at Saffron Housing Trust
By introducing the team to tools such as information centres and a voids tracker, we helped Saffron Housing Trust to optimise workflows and spend more time on activities that add value for customers.
“The review really showcased the power of collaborative working to the organisation. Those involved have felt engaged and empowered by the approach taken and continue to use the tools and techniques they have learned to drive continuous improvement.” – Jodie Sherwood, Assistant Director (Business Transformation) at Saffron Housing Trust
Lancaster City Council reduce void days by 59%
After a process review, Lancaster City Council eliminated their void property backlog, reduced void rental loss, and improved the their customer experience.
“Ad Esse added expertise, but also focus and rigour to the task of improving our voids and lettings process. Staff felt engaged in the project from the start, and rather than a ‘quick fix’ solution the improvement in void times and working practices give all the signs of being sustainable.” – Peter Linsley, Service Support Manager
“Ad Esse are extremely professional and personable at the same time. They are knowledgeable and are willing to share their knowledge and embed new practices in the overall organisation, so not just delivery the project well, but improve the organisation at the same time.”
Mona Shah, Executive Director of Finance & Information at One Housing Group
How to improve your performance with a digital voids tracker
A voids tracker is a tool that helps your team to visually see the state of your voids; our clients have found this to be highly effective for improving performance. In the past, we have set up physical voids trackers for teams to monitor in a shared space, like a whiteboard or a wall.
To make this tool accessible in a virtual setting with distributed teams, we have developed & tested a simple, effective digital tracker using MS Planner. You can watch Yeukai’s demonstration for how to set up your digital voids tracker.
“We simply could not have implemented the changes without Ad Esse’s support”
Adrian Jacobs, Service Hub Manager at Poplar HARCA
Five actions that will make a real impact on your voids performance
Here are five actions you can do now to improve your Voids process performance. These practical actions have made a substantial impact in the vast majority of the 20+ housing organisations we’ve worked with, and we’ve seen clients achieve improvements such as >50% reduction in voids turnaround time and similar reductions in void rent loss.
We can help you to increase income, save time, improve team relationships and increase customer satisfaction. To sustainably improve the performance of your voids, start your process review with us today by emailing hello@ad-esse.com.
