Digitally transforming social housing repairs and maintenance with Totalmobile

The City of Edinburgh Council is one of the largest local authorities in the UK, with more than 17,000 staff providing services to nearly 500,000 people. Like many councils, it faces ongoing challenges such as budget pressures, increasing demand for services and rising customer expectations.

Challenge

In 2019, working in partnership with CGI, the Council began implementing Totalmobile’s mobile working solution to digitally transform its Social Housing Repairs & Maintenance service.

By digitising previously paper-based processes, the Council gained access to real-time information and can now direct employees to the most urgent repairs each day. The project is now in its third phase of value delivery, continuing to identify new ways to improve efficiency and service quality through digital transformation.

Previously, the process relied heavily on manual input. Contact centre staff had to convert tenant repair requests into tasks by re-keying information between systems, which created delays and increased admin workload. Tenants could only request repairs during contact centre hours, adding further inconvenience. In addition, information about vulnerable residents was recorded manually, limiting visibility and reporting accuracy.

Solution

Using modern open APIs, the Council integrated Totalmobile with its citizen portal, case management and housing systems. By leveraging existing platforms, the Council enhanced its services without investing in new technologies.

Now, social housing tenants can log repair requests online 24/7, choosing a time that best suits them. This self-service approach has modernised the tenant experience and improved overall operational efficiency.

Outcomes and next steps

Since implementation, the Council has seen a 15% increase in digital channel use, allowing contact centre staff to manage higher call volumes without additional resources.

Tenants benefit from a more convenient, accessible service, while the Council can prioritise repairs for vulnerable people using accurate, real-time data. Staff can work more efficiently in the field without needing to return to the office for paperwork.

“Our housing repairs service is so vital with workers helping thousands of people to live safely and comfortably in their homes. Adopting Totalmobile is helping us to digitise and continuously develop the service for our tenants and members of our workforce,” said Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing Convener.

“From a risk and compliance point of view, we’re reassured that data on our homes is very secure and held in one central point. Plus, the new smart damp sensors we’re installing will be plugged into the Totalmobile system, so that repair staff can be allocated automatically, where needed.”

Next, the Council plans to roll out Totalmobile’s flagship Connect solution to its Empty Homes team. Connect offers work order management and dynamic scheduling, with long-term ambitions to extend Totalmobile across all field-based services to create a fully integrated, enterprise-wide mobile working capability.