Stock Condition Surveys
Accurate asset data is the foundation of good asset management. We help social housing providers get it right.
The Regulator of Social Housing’s consumer inspection regime has made one thing clear: poor knowledge of stock condition is one of the most common reasons landlords are failing inspections. Of the first 99 consumer grades issued, around three quarters of non-compliant judgements involved inadequate stock data.
ARK provides a full range of stock condition survey services, from large-scale survey programmes to data validation and survey form development. We work with registered providers, local authorities and community-based landlords of all sizes.
Combining data from different systems into a single source can be tricky. Housing and asset management systems struggle to facilitate this because they focus on storing rather than analysing data, let alone utilising data stored elsewhere. Aligning an organisation’s key strategic risks with asset data at the investment planning stage enables organisations to make the right investment decisions at the right time.
Our Stock Condition Services
Stock condition surveys
We deliver HHSRS-compliant stock condition surveys that give you an accurate, evidenced picture of your homes. Our surveys capture component remaining lives, hazard assessments, damp and mould, ventilation and structural condition. All data is structured to feed directly into investment planning and to meet the requirements of the Safety and Quality Standard.
We deliver surveys at approximately 50% of the average cost of a responsive repair in the sector. For some clients we also collect EPC data alongside the survey, making the most of a single visit to the property.
Investment planning and 30-year business plans
For clients who need more than survey data, we use the condition information we collect to develop detailed asset investment programmes and long-term 30-year business plans. This gives boards an evidenced, realistic spend profile and a direct link between survey findings and financial planning.
Stock condition data validation
If you have existing condition data but are unsure whether it is accurate, up to date or fit for regulatory scrutiny, we can help. Our validation service has two elements: a desktop review of your survey design and data governance, and an on-site stratified sample of physical surveys to test what your data says against what we find. The output is a clear report and, where needed, an action plan.
Survey form development
The reforms to the Decent Homes Standard will change what landlords need to capture through their surveys. We are already working with a number of clients to review and redevelop their stock condition survey forms so they are ready for the incoming requirements. Providers who act now avoid having to resurvey stock they have recently visited once the new standard takes effect.
Who we work with
We work with housing providers of all sizes. Recent clients include L&Q, Northamptonshire Partnership Homes, Habinteg Housing Association, Rugby Borough Council and BrunelCare. We have also delivered 100% survey programmes for a number of smaller, community-driven organisations with fewer than 500 homes.
Smaller providers face the same regulatory obligations as large nationals but without the same in-house resource. Our service is designed to be accessible at that scale, with ARK managing the full process from scoping to final report.
Find out about our other Housing Data Solutions, and how we help the social housing sector make sense of it’s data.
Why ARK
Additional support available for investment planning, 30-year business plans and EPC collection
Being unable to make sense of asset data in a single view can lead to problems remaining hidden in plain sight, condition data becoming old, and gaps in condition data resulting in unplanned spend or underinvestment. Cumulatively, this can lead to investment programmes drifting from what homes need or what tenants want.
Ensuring that homes are safe, decent, free from damp and mould, and energy efficient is a challenge. Achieving this within existing resources is a stretch. Maintaining safety, decency and improving energy efficiency is achievable. But this is only possible if you can see the investment required over time and use that information to create a prioritised, coherent plan.
- Over 30 years of social housing asset management expertise
- Surveys designed to meet Safety and Quality Standard requirements and the incoming reformed Decent Homes Standard
- In-house data analyst team for validation and comparison work
- Accessible to providers of all sizes, including those without in-house asset management teams
Key contacts
Simply call 0121 5153831 or complete the enquiry form and we will be in touch.
A big thank you to ARK for supporting us on this journey and helping us turn data into actionable strategies. Their expertise is enabling us to make informed, sustainable decisions for the benefit of our community.
