Viewpoint works with Tap Into IT to help tenants with mobile phone and wifi costs

Viewpoint works with Tap Into IT to help tenants with mobile phone and wifi costs

Viewpoint Housing Association is working closely with Edinburgh-based social enterprise Tap Into IT to help its tenants to get online and to hone their IT skills so that they can take an active part in the increasingly challenging digital world as well as ensuring they are not being overcharged. 

BBC Reporting Scotland has been covering some of the financial concerns that the country is facing because of the current cost of living crisis. Tap Into IT was approached to ask if they, along with some of the Viewpoint tenants, would like to be part of their series of programmes on the significant effects of the cost of living. 

Specifically, the BBC wanted to discuss some of the issues surrounding the increases to costs of mobile phone contracts and Wi-Fi, of which some are facing potential rises of at least 17%.

As a result, a small group of Viewpoint tenants met at the housing association’s sheltered housing complex at Croft-An-Righ and were interviewed by the BBC on Wednesday 22 March 2023. This was aired on BBC Reporting Scotland on Friday 31 March 2023.

Tenants who were interviewed talked about the concerns they have about the potential increases and the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis.

In addition, they highlighted that often contracts renewed automatically and it was then both difficult and confusing to check what they were actually paying for. 

Mike Ellis, director of Tap Into IT, said: “Tenants are often still paying for their mobile phone years after that part of the contract has ended and they should only be paying for the sim card.”

This is a hugely valuable service for Viewpoint tenants as they have Tap Into IT to assist them in checking what they are paying for in mobile phone contracts and Wi-Fi as well as helping them to look for a new deal that suits their needs and their budget.

One Viewpoint tenant shared their story of how they worked with Tap Into IT checking what they were paying for their mobile; as a result, they went from paying £20 per month to £5 per month, which meant a saving for them of £180 per year.

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