The repairs app facilitates better communication between residents and their housing provider, fulfilling the housing sector’s drive towards digital engagement, as well as supporting the recent Social Housing White Paper’s focus on maintaining homes to a good standard of repair.

The app is able to integrate with existing in-house repairs reporting systems and is free to users of the company’s Housing Proactive Service, a specialist housing management system that increases contact with older people and those with additional needs.

As part of the Housing Proactive service, residents are provided with a portable touchscreen with built-in connectivity, of which the repairs app will now feature as part of the standard interface.

The repairs app has been designed to promote self-service reporting by taking the resident through a simple step-by-step process, helping to reduce the volume of calls to in-house contact centres and avoid call waiting times for the resident. Additionally, the app will enable repairs teams to better identify and prioritise maintenance issues.

The app is provided with a call back option for the visually impaired and residents will still have the option to speak directly with a highly trained member of the Alertacall team if they prefer.

Martin Cutbill, director of Alertacall, said: “Keeping homes in good repair is a core aim of both the recent Social Housing White Paper, and the recent Homes Act legislation. To help housing providers achieve this, we have developed our repairs app to provide residents with an easy way to report repairs. This additional functionality to our Housing Proactive touchscreen is being provided at no cost.

“The app also helps housing providers accelerate digital engagement and provides a self- service option for residents. We are committed to supporting residents further by broadening our range of innovations, delivering smarter, more connected homes.”

The repairs reporting app is a core feature of the Housing Proactive service and is included as standard as part of the touchscreen interface, which can be used as a standalone IoT device.