Avoiding the void with smart tech thinking

2​1 February 2025

An opinion piece by Tom Morton, CEO of Archangel

Vacant social housing has always been a big null and void and costs time and money for hard pressed councils and housing associations the length and breadth of the UK.

The time taken between the departure of one tenant from a property and the arrival of the next, known as ‘the void period’, is an unpredictable and costly drain on valuable resources that could easily be directed elsewhere.

The reasons why properties enter the void are manifold. A tenant might have decided to move on, passed away or simply abandoned their home without giving notice.

Void properties present a major challenge for housing providers. From lost rental income to burgeoning maintenance and security costs, void housing only exacerbates the crisis.

According to recently published research by housing intelligence data firm Housemark, around 300,000 social housing properties became void in 2023-2024 with more than £1 billion spent on repairs alone and an additional £220 million spent on placing new tenants. A total of £1.6 billion was spent overall on repairs, letting and lost rent.

The average re-let times for all empty properties is 74 days, while for standard voids that do not need major repairs, the average is nearer 50 days. The average was below 30 days just five years ago based on the Housemark research so the problem is an increasing one in terms of scope and cost.

Proactive property management processes combined with more effective end of tenancy procedures is required according to Housemark.

There is a better way to transition from a reactive to proactive approach with the latest digital advancements in health and housing technologies helping to empower councils to deliver swifter, more effective decision-making when it comes to renewing abandoned properties.

It also puts local authorities and housing associations in the box seat when it comes to tackling the housing crisis and the ever-growing list of individuals on council and social housing waiting lists.

The intelligent and targeted use of IoT (Internet of Things) sensors that unobtrusively monitor activity, temperature, humidity etc within a property together with the immediate alerting of housing officers can help councils to identify potential vacant housing scenarios and rule breaches quicker.

In summary, let’s move beyond fragmented solutions and build a collaborative approach to challenges within the social housing sector.

Technologies such as Archangel’s integrated IoT solutions and cross-agency collaboration tools can reduce void periods and losses through smarter workflows and strengthen partnerships with local authorities and health providers to create healthier, more sustainable communities through shared insights.

Protecting tenant health by preventing hazards before they escalate is of paramount importance and will help us all to meet the obligations of Awaab’s Law.

Timely interventions reduce void periods and help to maximise income generation, representing a ‘win win’ scenario for local councils, housing associations, UK taxpayers and ultimately allow tenants to live healthier lives in their own homes.

There is clearly a better way to avoid the void!