With the ongoing scrutiny of HHSRS and increased worries over damp and mould growth, housing association and local authority asset management teams need to keep a close eye on data quality and consistency, especially during the autumn and winter seasons.

Fiona MacGregor, the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) Chief Executive recently commented, that 5-year rolling stock condition programmes may not meet current standard requirements.

“If your starting point is already quite out of date, and you’re not using other sources of data to feed into that overall picture: calibrating repairs, requests from tenants, calibrating complaints, looking at whether or not damp and mould in one property is endemic in an estate. If you’re not taking all that information together and relying on a slightly out-of-date, slightly less sophisticated, slightly less proactive approach, it may no longer be enough.” Fiona MacGregor*

*Source: Inside Housing Magazine.

In addition, Inside Housing have reported on a significant number of housing associations ramping up their stock condition survey programmes,

‘The spotlight on disrepair has led 25,000-home GreenSquareAccord to undertake a stock condition survey of all its properties, according to housing minister Eddie Hughes.’*

*Source: Inside Housing Magazine

It is therefore safe to say that if good-quality stock condition data is being inputted into your asset management software, then your asset managers will have accurate data outputs from your system.

How should asset managers ensure that they are getting good data?

1. Understand your starting point: Before you replace or update any data in your system, it is essential to know and understand your current position; the positives, any negatives, and any gaps in your data set.

2. Cleanse your data: Once you understand your starting point, it would be advisable to cleanse your data, only then, should any stock profiling and sample design be done. Thorough stock profiling and good sample design will allow asset managers to assess potential risks and help them target the right surveying strategies, therefore providing the correct information that should be collected on their stock condition survey programme.

3. Collect your data: The collection of stock condition data is one thing, but updating and validating this data is an ongoing process as no data set sits still. Asset managers must continually review their working practices to ensure appropriate maintenance of their data. This also means undertaking independent validation at appropriate points to ensure you work efficiently. It also takes you back to step 1 to create a means of continuous improvement.

Property Tectonics (pt) are in a prime position to assist your housing association or local authority, in ensuring you know your stock condition and asset management data is correct and up to date. With over 35 years’ experience in undertaking stock condition surveys, we are RICS Chartered Building Surveyors providing professional services, who also have a fantastic Asset & Compliance Management software system in Lifespan Housing. Through our professional services team and data analysts, our experience in providing Combined Asset Management Services for housing providers is second to none.

Talk to us to learn more about our hybrid stock condition surveys where we collect ventilation assessments as standard, and if required we can also include a PAS 2035 retrofit assessment. In utilising our hybrid survey services, the property would only require one visit from our experienced surveying team.

Our Combined Asset Management Services (CAMS) provide:

• The surveyors and the software to collect your data.
• The data analyst to validate the data before upload.
• Lifespan Housing account including helpdesk facilities.
• Our dedicated software team, to ensure you are getting the best from your data.

Whether collecting stock condition surveys, PAS2035 assessments or receiving our assistance in data validation, process management or data health check services, we ensure that the data collected is managed to its full potential. Giving you validated data sets that can be utilised across several areas in your organisation whether that be a housing association or a local authority.

Please get in touch to discuss a combined approach to your asset management services.

Contact us