AI in housing shouldn’t just be about dashboards, models, or shiny systems. At the end of the day, it’s about people. It’s about whether families can sleep without damp on their walls, whether a text from the landlord feels supportive or threatening, and whether tenants like me actually feel heard.
I write this with two hats on: one as someone who works in digital innovation, and the other as a tenant who’s had my fair share of “please hold” calls, confusing letters, and the stress of trying to keep bills under control. Those moments shape our lives far more than strategy papers or boardroom slides.
So, what if AI could actually listen? What if it was designed not to replace people, but to rebuild trust, one repair, one conversation, one small act of respect at a time? In this blog, I’ll bring you into the shoes of Pauline and Amina, two tenant voices that I know well, but are instantly recognisable.
Their stories show us how AI, done right, might just make housing feel more human.
Morning with Pauline: A Safe, Warm Home
Pauline’s flat has been her home for over ten years. She’s proud of it — her curtains match, her kitchen is spotless, and she’s made the space her own. But every morning she wakes to the same problem: a patch of mould creeping across her bedroom wall, caused by a gutter that’s been “fixed” more times than she can count.
She’s done everything right — reported it, followed up, waited. Yet she finds herself chasing the same repair again and again. Each time she repeats her story to a new call handler, her trust in the system drains a little more. The real burden isn’t even the mould itself, but the energy it takes to keep fighting — time Pauline would rather spend with her daughter than stuck in a repair loop.
Now imagine a different morning. A sensor quietly flags the damp before it spreads. AI triages the repair correctly, books the right contractor, and keeps Pauline updated with plain-English texts. No chasing. No déjà vu calls. Just the relief of knowing it’ll be sorted properly.
For Pauline, that isn’t “innovation.” That’s dignity, respect, and the assurance that promises are kept.
Afternoon with Amina: Stability for a Young Family
Amina is in her late twenties, a new tenant just finding her feet in social housing. On paper, it’s a fresh start — a modest flat, a safe place to raise her child.
But stability is fragile on a part-time wage topped up by Universal Credit. Every unexpected bill feels like a crisis, every repair delay a reminder that security can slip away.
Her smartphone is both lifeline and weakness. It’s her only device, used for everything from childcare to contacting her landlord. Yet poor connectivity, clunky portals, and endless forms leave her anxious. A simple repair request can stretch into hours of frustration when systems fail or she has to explain her problem again. Exhausting.
Now imagine it differently: Amina moves into a simple, plain-English onboarding process. Of course, these are just two examples. Older tenants, disabled tenants, and families in different situations face similar frustrations.
The Systemic Shift – Why AI Matters for Tenants
Pauline and Amina live different lives; one has been in her home for years, the other is just starting out, but their frustrations are almost identical. Repairs that drag on. Letters that make no sense. A feeling that their voices don’t count. And here’s the truth: when those things repeat often enough, trust breaks.
That’s where AI could make a real difference. Not as a replacement for people, but as an amplifier of care. Think about it:
- Repairs flagged before they become health risks.
- Updates in plain English, not jargon.
- Feedback loops that actually close, so tenants see their input making a difference.
- Frontline staff freed from admin so they can spend time where it matters — with people.
But here’s the challenge: tech isn’t neutral. If it’s badly designed, it just adds new barriers. Tenants without digital confidence can get locked out. Automated systems can feel cold or dismissive. That’s why governance, consent, and co-design aren’t optional extras; they’re the foundation.
The real promise of AI? Shifting housing from reactive firefighting to proactive care. Imagine Pauline and Amina waking up with fewer battles to fight. That’s not efficiency, that’s dignity.
Why This Matters for Housing Leaders
For housing leaders, Pauline and Amina’s stories aren’t just anecdotes. They signal the same issues you see every time complaints data, TSM, or Ombudsman reports land on your desk. Ignoring them isn’t an option.
For executives, AI is already within reach. Predictive repair tools can spot damp and mould before it becomes dangerous, cutting both costs and complaints.
Chatbots and WhatsApp services can take routine queries, rent balance checks, and repair status updates off overloaded phone lines, freeing staff for complex cases. Income analytics can flag vulnerable tenants early, allowing supportive interventions before arrears escalate. These are tangible improvements that show her organisation is modernising with purpose
For Boards, the case is about assurance. AI dashboards can highlight complaint trends or repair bottlenecks before they appear in regulatory inspections. Asset monitoring can track safety risks like mould or fire doors, providing a clear audit trail. Sentiment analysis of tenant feedback can give boards sharper insight into trust and service gaps. These tools aren’t “innovation theatre”, they’re governance enablers.
AI Fixes Housing Leaders Can Use Today
- Repairs, Triage & Scheduling Use AI to log, categorise, and schedule repairs in one go. Cuts repeat calls, reduces damp/mould risks, and meets Awaab’s Law timescales. See the Wolverhampton Homes case study.
- Plain-English Communications AI tools can translate tenancy agreements, arrears letters, and policy updates into simple, accessible language. Builds trust and reduces complaints about confusing communication. See Swindon Council’s” Simply Readable AI Solution”.
- Early Arrears & Vulnerability Detection Income analytics flag tenants at risk of arrears sooner. Enables supportive outreach before problems spiral, easing stress for families like Amina’s. See Together Housing “ Predicting Tenancy Failure”
These aren’t “future ideas.” They’re live use cases that leaders can test now to ease tenants’ lives, strengthen compliance, and rebuild trust.
Leaders don’t need AI that dazzles. They need AI that delivers safer homes, faster answers, and clearer communication. Done right, it strengthens compliance and restores tenant confidence. And for Pauline and Amina, that’s the difference between coping and truly thriving.
My Perspective as a Tenant
I’ve lived these frustrations myself, waiting weeks for repairs, reading letters that felt like code, wondering if anyone on the other end was really listening. That’s why I believe AI in housing has to be built with tenants, not done to them.
AI won’t solve every problem, and it shouldn’t try. But it can make life less exhausting. It can help landlords keep promises, speak in plain English, and fix things before they break. Pair it with empathy, and it becomes a bridge not a barrier.
Because in the end, this isn’t about tech. It’s about dignity. It’s about homes where families like Pauline’s, Amina’s and mine can thrive.
To find out more about the author, click Shakira Akinwale
