Summary

The London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) invites small and innovative companies to showcase their software solutions relevant to local authorities’ housing services management needs. Please see the user stories below for details of what specific aspects of housing services are in scope.

About LOTI and our work on procurement

LOTI was established in July 2019 to help boroughs collaborate on projects that bring the best of digital, data and innovation to improve public services and outcomes for Londoners. Explore our website to find out more about our work.

Over the last year, we have been working with boroughs to help them get better value and performance out of the technologies they use to power their services and back-office functions. Our work in this field is described on our Innovation in Procurement project page. Our recent initiatives have included creating an Innovation in Procurement Toolkit and developing the Thirty3 platform with the GLA and Nitrous London to help spot areas where multiple boroughs can procure together.

Innovating in Housing Services Management Software

LOTI is currently working with several boroughs that are due to procure housing services management software systems in the near future. We’re helping them work together to write an outcomes-based tender specification and engage the market more effectively.

As part of this work, we’re interested to learn more about the range and capabilities of smaller, innovative suppliers who serve this market. Boroughs are specifically interested in learning more about tools that can help them achieve outcomes in the following four areas: Tenancy services; Leaseholder services, Homelessness services and Asset management.

The user stories outlined under each service area below are not an exhaustive list of all the outcomes desired, rather an indication of what boroughs may be seeking to address via their housing systems.

Tenancy services

As a resident, I’d like to be able to:

• easily manage all aspects of the entire lifecycle of my tenancy online, so that I don’t have to visit council offices in person.
• report and track repairs online, sort payments, set reminders and find out about other related services, so that I don’t have to call up for status updates.
• be informed about and access other local amenities in my area, from libraries to swimming pools;
• be automatically notified or enrolled in related services like signing up for a parking permit.

As a borough officer, I’d like to be able to:

• conduct my work wherever I need to be – including while visiting tenant properties.
• act in a more preventative way – using improved data and analytics to flag areas where people may be more at risk and help target and focus efforts.
• have easier and closer collaboration with partner organisations

Leaseholder services

As a leaseholder, I’d like to be able to:

• manage all aspects of my leasehold online so that I don’t have to visit council offices in person.
• be informed about and access other local amenities in my area, from libraries to swimming pools;
• be automatically notified or enrolled in related services like signing up for a parking permit.

Homelessness services

As a borough officer supporting a person at risk of homelessness, I’d like to be able to:

• be fast and effective in addressing the needs of specific individuals, managing all aspects of their homelessness support and documentation online, from applications to appeals, online.
• quickly search for and book temporary accommodation meeting specific criteria from a variety of sources.
• have easier and closer collaboration with partner organisations.
• help identify issues and risks early so I can offer proactive support to vulnerable individuals.

Asset Management 

As a borough officer I’d like to be able to:

• conduct all key aspects of asset management online, including areas such as maintenance schedules, inspections, managing antisocial behaviour, auditing payments and other requests, sorting repairs and insurance, etc.
• have easier and closer collaboration with partner organisations.
• help identify issues and risks early so I can offer proactive support to vulnerable individuals.

How to get involved

We warmly invite companies who can meet some or all of these needs to a) fill out the Google Form at the button below to provide key details of your solution and b) send us a 3-minute video to showcase your product and explain how it meets the outcomes boroughs wish to enable. The video can be uploaded via a link on the Google Form.

The deadline for submissions is Friday 19 March.

Videos do not have to be professionally produced. Something recorded on a mobile device or a simple voiceover on some slides would be fine. 

The videos and content from the form (minus personal contact details) will be publicly shared on the LOTI website and presented to boroughs. 

Those suppliers whose solutions are of particular interest to boroughs will be invited to a Q&A in late March to talk more about their offer.