Navigating the age gap: Why social housing must adapt to the Amazon-era

As the social housing landscape continues to evolve, a not-so-silent battle brews beneath the surface. The expectations of younger tenants are going against the status quo.

Gone are the days when having a roof that doesn’t leak and heating that works are enough to score top marks on a tenant satisfaction survey.

Today’s 18-34 year-olds are fuelled by the instant gratification of the digital age. And as a consequence, they have higher expectations of their landlords.

They want a service that rivals the slick, customer-is-king approach of Amazon. And they expect an Amazon Prime standard of service delivery for social housing repairs.?

The generational expectation gap

Our ‘Beyond Four Walls’ survey of more than 500 tenants across the UK unveiled a striking divide.

The older generation, those stalwarts of the post-war era, maintain a robust satisfaction with their social housing experience.

By contrast, the younger generation, who are accustomed to the speed and efficiency of modern technology giants, are demanding transformative change.

This insight should act as more than a wake-up call. It’s a rallying cry for social housing providers to rethink their approach.

It’s time for a service upgrade

Younger tenants are not just looking for a place to live – they’re seeking a living experience that mirrors the responsive, user-friendly and efficient interactions they have with today’s leading customer service giants like Amazon. This demand for high-quality service extends beyond the digital interface and into the very ethos of how social housing operates.

The younger generation know what good service is. They want to feel confident that their repairs will be carried out on time. They want to know when the operative is on their way to their home so they don’t have to wait in all day. They want to be able to rate and provide feedback on the standard of their repair experience. And they want to have instant access to customer support if needed.

They have seen that all this is possible with the likes of Amazon and they want it replicated for their housing service. And why shouldn’t it be?

Setting a new standard

The message is clear: social housing must evolve to meet the needs and expectations of all its tenants. This means adopting new technologies, improving communication channels, and most importantly, embracing a customer-centric mindset that puts tenant satisfaction at the heart of operations.

The new Consumer Standards are encouraging wide-spread and detailed feedback from tenants. And this can only be achieved by making feedback second nature for landlords across every customer interaction, including repairs, which Oneserve can support housing providers with.

So, as we stand at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, it’s time for landlords and tenants to come together and embrace technology that supports the needs of tenants today and in the future.?

By doing so, we can ensure that social housing in the Amazon-era not only meets but exceeds the expectations of its diverse tenant base. And a new standard for what it means to provide a home is set.