SUMMER 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 37
LOCAL AUTHORITY & COUNCIL
reducing arrears through early,
personalised intervention directly
improves cash 昀氀ow and reduces
administrative costs.
But the advantage goes
beyond numbers; it is about
treating tenants as partners
in sustaining their homes, not
simply as account numbers to
be chased. After all, the public
sector is about public service,
and this humane approach is
what modern social housing
needs to thrive.
Why now?
The combination of rising
arrears, the cost of living crisis
and stretched housing teams
means there is no time left to
delay. Social housing providers
who continue relying on
manual, reactive systems will
昀椀nd themselves increasingly
overwhelmed and underresourced.
AI and automation are not
futuristic luxuries - they are
essential tools for today’s reality.
The scale of the problem is
growing, but so is the opportunity
for innovation. Housing providers
that embrace AI can shift from
managing arrears after the fact to
preventing them in the 昀椀rst place.
This proactive stance bene昀椀ts
tenants, reduces administrative
burden and ultimately protects
the 昀椀nancial sustainability of
social housing. The future of
social housing depends on bold,
forward-thinking leadership
willing to invest in smarter
technology.
It is time to put AI at the heart
of arrears management and
tenancy sustainability.
Final thoughts
The rental arrears crisis in
social housing is a frontline
issue - one that a昀昀ects tenants’
lives, community stability and
providers’ viability.
The evidence is clear: early,
personalised intervention
powered by AI is the most
e昀昀ective way to prevent rental
arrears and sustain tenancies.
It provides the foresight and
昀氀exibility housing providers need
not just to collect rent, but to
support tenants who need it.
Social landlords must act
faster, by moving beyond
outdated manual systems and
embracing the advantages AI
o昀昀ers. By doing so, they will not
only reduce rental arrears but
also build stronger, more resilient
communities where tenants feel
supported rather than penalised.
GPSJ
The choice is ours: continue
reacting to rental arrears or
proactively prevent them with
the power of technology. The AI
advantage is here - and the social
housing sector cannot a昀昀ord to
wait any longer.
Alex Common
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL SUMMER 2025
37
