Purpose

Tenancy Services continues to face increasing
pressure from the Welfare Reform and Universal Credit Programmes as
well as Cost-of-Living Crisis facing the Country due to high
inflation and increasing levels of interest charged on borrowing.
These factors can have a significant negative impact on arrears and
collection rates.
 
Mobysoft
‘RentSense’ is an arrears
management tool, based on predictive analytics to identify where to
focus early support for tenants who fall into arrears. MobySoft has a proven track record analysing rent
payment patterns for more than 1.6 million social housing tenants
and their ‘RentSense’
software solution is used by more than 170 social landlords.
Tenancy
Services have been working with MobySoft and its product Rentsense for the past three years. The findings
are extremely positive and have underpinned current levels of
operational efficiency. Rent arrears have seen a reduction of
£94,979 from April 2023 to January 2024, which is significant
against the challenging financial constraints in the UK at this
time.
 
Alternative options considered:
Consideration has been given to further
developing the Northgate Housing Management system through use of
their Account Analytics module. This would in the long-term
rationalise the number of separate software systems the Council
uses (day to day). It is proposed that during 2024/25 the Council
will begin operating Account Analytics allowing 12 months to
develop the software and ensure its effectiveness, providing a
direct comparison
of Rentsense and
Account Analytics and each providers overall performance in this
field.

Decision

To exempt this contract from market testing,
under para 3.10.2 of
Contract Standing Orders, and to award a
12-month contract to Mobysoft Ltd with
a value of £80,629.
 
Reason:
This is in the best economic interest of the
Council and will enable continuous
management of rent arrears.