Housing and the Human Experience: Where Tech Does and Doesn’t Belong

Written by Till Eichenauer, CEO of askporter

In today’s social housing landscape, technology and AI offer exciting opportunities, but also serious responsibility. While automation can help overstretched teams manage growing workloads, the foundation of social housing remains deeply human. It’s about more than properties. It’s about people, communities, dignity, and trust.

At askporter, we work closely with housing providers across the UK, so we understand both the immense pressures and the transformative potential of AI when applied with care. Here’s a grounded look at where automation can deliver real value for social landlords, and where the human touch is simply irreplaceable.

Where Tech Should Be Involved in Social Housing

Social housing teams are often under-resourced, dealing with urgent repairs, vulnerable tenants, and increasing compliance requirements. Used correctly, AI and automation can reduce pressure, improve service delivery, and free staff to focus on meaningful work and therefore delivering a better tenant experience. 

1. Better Communication, 24/7

In social housing, timely communication isn’t just good service; it can be a lifeline.

• 24/7 Tenant Support: AI can respond instantly across channels, ensuring no tenant query goes unanswered, even out of hours.
• Triage and Routing: Issues are prioritised by urgency and routed to the right officer or contractor, reducing delays and risks.
• Language Inclusion: Multilingual AI tools help break down language barriers, creating a more inclusive service for diverse communities.
• Proactive Notifications: Tenants receive automatic updates on repairs, inspections, or disruptions, cutting call volumes and increasing trust.
• Real-Time Feedback Loops: Post-repair surveys help identify issues early and give residents a voice.

Why it matters: When tenants feel heard and informed, satisfaction improves and complaints decrease.

2. Self-Service That Empowers Residents

Tenants today expect the same digital ease they experience in other areas of life. AI enables that.

• Repair Diagnostics: AI-powered flows help residents troubleshoot simple issues before raising a repair, cutting unnecessary callouts and achieving faster resolutions.
• Instant Answers: Tenants can access policies, FAQs, and documents without waiting for callbacks. This can free up to 30% of call centre capacity.

Why it matters: Empowered tenants are more satisfied, and stretched teams can focus on complex cases or cases that need human interaction. For example a blocked filter in a washing machine can be quickly fixed by a tenant if they know how, leaving them with a near-instant solution, rather than waiting for assistance. 

3. Operational Efficiency Behind the Scenes

AI doesn’t just improve the front-end experience, it helps providers work smarter behind the curtain.

• Smart Workflows: AI gathers accurate data (including photos or videos) for repairs, so contractors arrive better prepared.
• Task Automation: Repairs triggered by emails, QR scans, or sensor data can be automatically assigned, no manual input needed.
• Live Job Tracking: Real-time updates, photos, and feedback from operatives ensure greater transparency and accountability.
• Performance Tracking: AI can help track repeat issues across housing stock for better budget allocation, support compliance, and response times, allowing managers to act before problems escalate.

Why it matters: Less rework. Fewer delays. Better outcomes for tenants.

4. Compliance and Risk Management

Social landlords face ever-growing compliance demands, especially around safety, data, and transparency.

• Audit-Ready Records: Every interaction, repair, and inspection is automatically documented, making audits easier.
• Mould & Damp Management: AI can help tenants identify risks, give prevention advice, and escalate based on severity, critical as Awaab’s Law comes into effect.
• Scheduled Safety Reminders: Automated outreach helps tenants prepare for inspections, gas checks, and policy updates.
• Silent Tenants: AI can help communicate with distant tenants and monitor the property without having to be in it. 

Why it matters: Tech reduces risk, ensures consistency, and helps teams stay ahead of regulatory change.

Where Tech Should Not Replace Human Contact

While automation has its strengths, social housing is a people-first sector. Many tenants face complex challenges, for example financial hardship, mental health issues, or unsafe living conditions that require compassion and context.

1. Emotional, High-Stakes Situations

AI can log a complaint, but it can’t offer reassurance.

• Disputes or Distress: AI can’t de-escalate conflict or show empathy in the same way a person can.
• Vulnerability: People in crisis need to feel genuinely heard, not processed by a bot.

Why it matters: Trust is built through care, not code.

2. Judgment Calls with Legal or Ethical Consequences

No matter how smart the system, some decisions require human oversight.

• Final Approvals: Repairs with health risks, temporary housing requests, or anti-social behaviour cases must be reviewed by people.
• Strategic Thinking: AI can recommend, but it’s housing professionals who understand the full picture.

Why it matters: Mistakes here can be life-altering.

3. Long-Term Relationship Building

AI can automate tasks, but not trust.

• Consistent Contacts: Relationships with housing officers are key to tenant stability and satisfaction.
• Empathy in Action: A person may notice subtle cues that something’s wrong, such as illness, isolation, financial strain and act proactively.

Why it matters: Strong relationships reduce tenancy breakdown and improve outcomes.

4. Bias Mitigation and Ethical Oversight

AI is only as fair as the data it’s trained on. Without human checks, it can reinforce bias.

• Tenant Screening: Automated systems must never make the final decision, especially where protected characteristics or lived experience come into play.

Why it matters: Fairness and accountability must be baked into every system.

5. Creative, Human-Led Problem Solving

Some problems don’t fit the mould, and that’s exactly why people need to lead.

• Beyond the Obvious: Tenants don’t always know how to ask for help. A human can pick up on what’s not being said.
• Unscripted Solutions: Not every challenge fits into a form or ticket. Human creativity is often the key.
• Human technology: Even when technology IS used, it’s important that this technology is human centred. For example we ensure our customer focussed solutions are designed and created by housing professionals who have the expertise and experience to know exactly what will help and support both authorities but, more importantly, tenants.

A Balanced Future: Tech That Serves Humanity

Social housing is evolving. Expectations are rising. Resources are stretched. But technology shouldn’t replace people, it should empower them.

Used wisely, AI can relieve overwhelmed staff, improve compliance, and enhance the tenant experience. It can take care of the routine, highlight the urgent, and provide insight that leads to better decision-making.

But what it must never do is dehumanise a sector built on dignity, care, and inclusion.

At askporter, we believe tech should be invisible in the moments that matter. Our mission is to design tools that support, not replace, housing professionals; allowing them to deliver a more responsive, respectful, and person-first service.

Because at the end of the day, housing providers are not just managing properties, they’re caring for people’s homes, and their lives.