Access Control

1 April 2023 marks the introduction of Tenant Satisfaction Measures. In this article, we explain how social housing landlords can meet the requirements of the TSM standard and how technology can help.
 
Tenant accountability will be increased for social housing landlords from April 2023. It comes from a newly introduced system to standardise Tenant Satisfaction Measures by the UK Regulator of Social Housing.

The latest addition to the range of TBA FIREFLY™ is a hinged steel access door and frame developed to offer up to 120 minutes fire resistance when used in conjunction with the UK company’s fire barrier systems.
The Firefly™ Access Panel FR120 has been stringently tested against EN 1363-1 2020 and is third party certified by IFC being shown to achieve an impressive two hours fire resistance from either side of a fire compartment.  Intended to be fitted vertically, the heavy-duty construction of the Zintec steel door and frame ensures the assembly offers a tight and flush fit when closed, and rugged performance in use.

SALTO Systems, a global leader in smart electronic access control solutions in the hospitality and commercial industries, is launching a groundbreaking new platform aimed at the residential market.

SALTO Homelok is set to revolutionize residential living with its all-in-one solution that integrates smart access control technology, hardware, cloud software, digital keys, a smart living ecosystem, and global service support.

For housing managers, retrofitting new technologies and systems to existing residences is becoming more of a priority as costs come under increasing pressure, and process inefficiencies are tackled. Retrospectively incorporating new technology into older housing stock is an effective solution, bringing immediate benefits to housing managers and tenants without breaking the bank.

Retrofitting is most commonly talked about in relation to decarbonisation. But in addition to environmental considerations, retrofitting new technology can also be beneficial for building security and accessibility. Incorporating new access control technology in existing buildings, for example, can enhance the tenant experience significantly – while also streamlining operations and cutting down any inefficiencies.

Accessibility continues to be an important issue for Housing Associations, helping tenants with a wide variety of needs and requirements to carry out everyday tasks and live more independently. There are, however, still significant gaps in building accessibility across the country. According to figures, 91% of all UK homes do not provide even the lowest level of accessibility , requiring urgent action from the housing industry.

The preference from the ‘Health and Safety Executive’ is that access to high level areas are either restricted or prevented with plant placed at ground level. However, when access is required for complying with roof warrantees and also the clearing of debris with other maintenance issues, this is often impossible to achieve.
To find out the solution, Housing Association Magazine hears from SAFETYWORKS & SOLUTIONS MD Marco Norman, the UK’s leading ‘Safety at Height ’ experts...

While Housing Associations have long been shifting towards a more digital way of working, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified this further, with more housing managers embracing remote working technologies and embedding digital infrastructures and data standards into their everyday processes. But are these systems being used to their full potential? As well as providing the option to log in to a central database from any location, remote management systems can also help streamline operations and crucially, open up mutually beneficial dialogues with tenants.