TRUE STORY

Last winter, our HealthyHomes team was faced with the rather daunting task of surveying 6,500 homes for damp and mould issues. Typically, each individual home required a separate visit, often involving up to an hour and a half of round-trip travel.

We realised that this would not only stretch our team of surveyors but would likely also delay vital responses for residents.

We knew there had to be a smarter way.

A Problem in Plain Sight

Imagine this scenario:

  • Flat 6 in a mid-rise apartment block reports mould today, triggering an individual survey visit.
  • The following week, Flat 9 calls in with the same issue — triggering another visit.
  • Then, a month later, Flat 11 reaches out, and another visit is triggered.
  • Each survey visit involves the same 90-minute round trip. When repeated three times over several weeks, this would be inefficient, costly, and unsustainable.

With Awaab’s Law making response times even more critical, this approach isn’t just inefficient – it’s a compliance risk.

A New Idea: Why Not Group Visits Together?

We realised that the IoT sensors we’d installed in thousands of properties to monitor humidity, temperature, and air quality could not only provide us with real-time insights, they could also help us to proactively group survey visits together, for greater efficiency.

The concept was simple but transformative: if our sensors flagged multiple homes within the same block as high-risk, we could proactively call residents and schedule surveys for multiple flats in one visit.

But could it really work? We ran the numbers, and realised that it could.

Grouping sensor-identified homes could save us enough travel and working days to free up one full-time surveyor, all without adding staff, vehicles, or costs.

Putting It to the Test

We identified and focused on the homes that were most suited for grouping.

In just a five-month winter period, we saw that grouping sensor-identified homes could save us enough travel and working days to free up one full-time surveyor, all without adding staff, vehicles, or costs.

More Than Just Numbers

Beyond the clear operational efficiencies, this approach significantly improved our resident experience.

Rather than reactive responses, residents felt valued by proactive, coordinated action visits, which were based on real-time risk data rather than random timing.

Surveyors reported less stress, more energy for meaningful interaction with residents, and more time spent addressing underlying issues.

With fewer travel hours, our surveyors weren’t rushed. They could engage, educate, and build genuine trust.

A Powerful Message for Clients

Today, when we present this model to our clients, we tell them:

“Using sensor-driven scheduling doesn’t just reduce costs and carbon emissions—it transforms how your team can operate. Your staff will have more time, residents will receive quicker responses, and your organisation will be better equipped to fully comply with Awaab’s Law.”

Looking Ahead

This story isn’t just about last winter, or theoretical savings; it’s about a strategic shift in property management.

Sensor data, coupled with proactive scheduling, allows housing providers to handle compliance confidently and sustainably while genuinely improving residents’ quality of life.

The real question is: can your organisation afford not to embrace a smarter way?

We’d be delighted to talk to you about your compliance and staff efficiency challenges – get in touch with us today to start the conversation.