Havering Council Awards £144,000 Contract For AI Rent-Arrears Software
RentSense uses predictive analytics to identify and prioritise council tenants who may need early financial support.
Havering Council has approved a £144,000 two-year contract for software which uses predictive analytics to identify tenants who may be at risk of falling into rent arrears.
The direct award to Mobysoft will allow the council to continue using its RentSense system while a new Housing Management System is developed.
RentSense analyses housing information and produces a prioritised list of rent-arrears cases requiring contact. The council says this can reduce officers’ caseloads and allow earlier intervention when households show signs of financial difficulty.
The current Mobysoft contract began in November 2024 and is due to end in November 2026. Havering’s replacement Housing Management System is not expected to complete its first implementation phase until June 2028, creating what officers describe as a gap requiring continued cover.
The new contract will be funded from the Housing Revenue Account, which already contains provision for the expenditure.
Council papers say the technology can support proactive engagement with tenants, including budgeting guidance, debt advice, financial inclusion work and help to maximise income before arrears become unmanageable.
Officers rejected changing supplier for the interim period, arguing that procurement, implementation and training could generate extra costs and disruption before the new housing system arrives.
The report does not provide detailed figures showing the system’s accuracy, the number of tenants assessed or how predictive risk indicators affect contact and enforcement decisions. These are areas where greater transparency may be required.
The delegated decision was made by Interim Director of Housing and Property Paul Walker and is not subject to call-in. The full details are available in the official contract report.
Stay up to date with all of our latest updates and content by following us on our social media accounts!
We have created community pages where we will share our up-to-date stories happening in the area. Add the area closest to where you live.
Discover more from The Havering Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
