Over half of senior housing leaders say that data issues are hampering their ability to handle tenant complaints effectively, a new white paper has revealed.

Housing software specialist Mobysoft’s report, From Data to Decisions: A Comprehensive Guide to Developing and Executing a Data Strategy, sheds light on the deep challenges facing the sector as it grapples with fragmented systems, unreliable records, and a lack of trust in the information needed to make crucial decisions.

Mobysoft’s survey of 100 senior executives found that 56% had experienced problems accessing or being provided with records to respond to complaints. Of those, nearly 70% said these issues impaired their ability to fully address complaints, and two-thirds reported that it affected their ability to meet complaint-handling timescales. With the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 bringing increased scrutiny to how landlords handle tenant satisfaction and complaints, these findings underline a growing crisis in data management within the sector.

In addition to survey data from housing leaders, the report also brings together new insights from experts, including the Housing Ombudsman, the Information Commissioner and senior executives from a number of major housing providers.

The white paper argues that a robust data strategy can transform the way social landlords operate, improving tenant satisfaction, compliance, and operational efficiency.

It highlights the costs of poor data quality, with nearly half of housing leaders citing increased operational costs and 40% noting impacts on tenant satisfaction. Other issues reported include inaccurate reporting, compliance risks, and missed opportunities for proactive interventions.

Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said: “Every day in our casework, what we see is poor records and knowledge and information management impairing an effective response by the landlord to residents.

“It’s absolutely vital that landlords have an effective framework in place for ensuring both the use of, and recording of, data is high quality, but also to facilitate the effective use of it. Otherwise, the landlord is putting itself in a position where it’s less able to respond to requests from residents, it doesn’t have the information it needs at its fingertips to resolve issues, and this will lead to missed opportunities and an erosion of trust between itself and residents.”

Paul Evans, Mobysoft’s Chief Executive, said: “Data is not a back-office concern, it’s at the heart of everything that the sector does and is the foundation for building trust, improving services, and ensuring compliance.

“We welcome the government’s increased focus on tenant satisfaction, with landlords needing to understand who is behind every front door. This white paper provides practical guidance to help housing providers take control of their data, unlock its potential, and meet the evolving expectations of tenants and the rgulator.”

The report calls on housing providers to prioritise investment in systems, processes and training to build a culture that values and leverages high-quality data.

For more information and to download the full guide, click here.