Dimensions implement Housing Proactive to enhance housing service for tenants with learning disabilities

Dimensions is one of the country’s largest not-for-profits, providing personalised social care and housing services for people with learning disabilities and autism, including challenging behaviour and complex needs. The charity has adopted Housing Proactive, Alertacall’s housing management system, as part of its housing service at properties across the UK. The service aims to give tenants more independence, encourage them to report their own repairs and help them better engage with the housing provider.

Dimensions provide services for 1,000 tenants living in supported living, group living and registered care homes. The charity wanted a system which would help them better engage and communicate with tenants based in supported accommodation. Importantly, Dimensions wanted to help their tenants become more independent – offering them more from their service, while being mindful that staff time is a valuable resource.

Housing Proactive is a housing management service which increases contact and improves communication with higher needs residents regarding housing-related issues, enabling them to maintain their independence and better manage their property.

Tenants at Dimensions are given easy to use devices to interact with each day, in order to pick up news and information. If they do not engage with the equipment, by an agreed time, a specially trained member of the contact centre team at Alertacall calls them to ensure there are no issues with their property.

Importantly, the service helps the housing team at Dimensions keep tenants better informed about on-site work or issues which may affect their property – enabling housing teams to broadcast messages to tenants at times convenient to each individual.

The system provides a range of useful property management reports, including occupancy tracking, which assists with fire safety regulation and planning scheduled maintenance work. The reports also enable the housing team to quickly identify where additional resource may be required and help to best allocate staff time.

Martin Cutbill, Director, commented:

“We are extremely excited to be working with Dimensions. Housing Proactive is already in place with many housing providers who provide specialist accommodation and services for those assessed as having learning disabilities. By increasing contact with tenants, the service ensures more effective housing management while also giving individuals more autonomy in terms of managing their tenancy.”

Liz Davies, Regional Housing Advisor at Dimensions, commented:

“Since the Housing Proactive system has been implemented, tenants have said they are becoming more confident in reporting repairs and the service has also helped to increase their independence. Importantly, tenants feel reassured that someone is there to help and talk to if they feel they want a chat. The messaging service is of great value to me as a Regional Housing Advisor working across several properties. Arranging visits and meetings is much simpler and efficient, as well as for emergencies, e.g. during the summer ‘heatwave’, I gave tenants information about keeping cooler in their properties.”

For more information on Alertacall’s services, email Ben Lambert, Head of Client Relations, on contact@alertacall.com or call 0808 208 1234.