Transforming social housing: The imperative of data governance

So, what benefits can data governance offer social housing, what barriers currently stand between it and implementation, and how can social housing institutions get started if they haven’t already done so? This article will explore the significance of data governance in social housing, highlighting its benefits and implementation strategies, along with our own best practices.

What is data governance in social housing?

The mass adoption of digital apps and technologies, and the huge influx of data this has produced, has transformed social housing. Data governance involves the management of data viability, usability, integrity and security within housing associations and related organisations. Key components include:

Challenges

When it comes to the task of embedding data governance policies into social housing organisations, there are a number of great opportunities, and also some seemingly daunting challenges.

To understand these in more detail we surveyed over 250 data leaders, decision-makers and influencers in the UK and Ireland — around 14% of whom worked in social housing. These are some of the issues they highlighted:

Fragmented data systems

Many housing associations operate with fragmented data systems^[1], this causes inefficiencies and data inconsistencies. 88% of our social housing respondents outlined a major barrier to good data governance was finding ways to embed it into existing ways of working and core business processes.

Lack of standardisation

Only 9% of our social housing respondents believed data governance efforts met their expectations. Meanwhile, a further 56% viewed it as an operational necessity – Thereby creating a disparity between its importance and the level of success that it has/ability to meet expectations. Varying data standards across different systems and departments can lead to discrepancies, errors and therefore, not meeting expectations.

Resource constraints

Limited resources and integration challenges can hinder the implementation of comprehensive data governance frameworks. Our respondents appeared to agree, as 56% of those surveyed in the housing sector said that “integrating data governance into core business processes” was an area that they were looking into. Leveraging cost-effective data governance tools and technologies can help overcome these limitations, ensuring robust data management.

The opportunities of data governance in social housing

Now we’ve covered the challenges of implementing data governance in social housing, let’s consider the opportunities and benefits it can provide to this sector.

1. Improved services

   Data governance can improve tenant services. More accurate data allows for a better understanding of tenant needs and more responsive service delivery. It can also lead to higher satisfaction rates with social housing providers.

2. Increased data control and oversight

   Good data governance allows you to better control your data^[2], use it to manage risk, provide insurance, and give you a foundation for intelligence-led decision-making.

3. Improved efficiency

   There are many ways data governance can help increase operational efficiencies and support cost savings. For example, standardised data practices reduce administrative overheads and improve resource allocation. Meanwhile, efficient data management leads to better financial planning and budgeting. 38% of our survey participants highlighted lower data management costs as a significant benefit associated with data governance.

Enhancing social housing in the UK through effective data governance

Effective data governance is crucial for the UK social housing sector. By streamlining operations, data governance leads to better resource allocation and improved decision-making. These practices enhance service delivery and improve tenant satisfaction and trust. Investing in robust data governance frameworks thus improves operational efficiency.

Don’t be afraid to embrace new technology. However, for those providers looking to use AI remember 73% of people we interviewed agree that better data governance is the doorway to better AI.