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8th May 2013

Multi Channel Customer Contact & Channel Shift

Nic Colley (Looking Local)

The story from West Yorkshire

Problem 1:

• Increase in number of customers seeking assistance in finding cheaper accommodation:

o Impact of changes to LHA

o Impact of wider welfare reform

o Rise in unemployment

o Increase in homeless presentations

The story from West Yorkshire

Problem 2:

• Who and where are the landlords?

• Where are the properties?

• Social housing need outstrips availability

• No destination to send customers to when they are searching for more affordable accommodation

• Customers don’t understand what is meant by affordable accommodation

The Letshelpyou solution

• Five West Yorkshire Local Authorities

• Initially funded by Department for Work & Pensions

• Help reduce the impact of changes to LHA and wider welfare reform for tenants, landlords and LAs

• Encourage self service approach

• Provide a destination for people to go to when they need to find more affordable accommodation

• Website launched 17th February 2012

Homepage – A tenant’s view

Refine your search

“70% uploaded properties list rent below or

matching relevant HB rate”

Personal profile

“5,184 tenants registered with

LetsHelpYou within the first

12 months”

Property details (including landlord)

Useful tools

Property Tracker

Bedroom Calculator

Allowance Calculator

A landlord’s view

“1,864 properties have been

uploaded across West Yorkshire since February

2012”

“846 landlord registrations”

Instant property activation / deactivation

“Average 33 property uploads

per week”

Multi-channel access

Android App

LetsHelpYou is freely available as a smartphone app...

iOS App (iPhone, iTouch)

Search for LetsHelpYou on Google Play or iTunes

Multi-channel access

Red button on Sky channel 539 or via Virgin Media channel 233

“LetsHelpYou is also available to people without internet access via the Looking Local service

on TV”

Management Information Tool

“Most common property size listed is two bedroom”

“53 three bedroom properties

uploaded at an average of £4.20 below LHA rate”

Some of the benefits…

• Encourage self service, across multiple platforms

• Free for both landlords and tenants to use

• Access to local intelligence and data on the private rented sector

• Can be used to help support vulnerable customers

• (Prospective) Tenants feel more informed

• Encourage closer working between landlords and LAs

• Reduce time properties are left vacant

LetsHelpYou coverage

Currently available:

• Leeds

• Kirklees

• Bradford

• Calderdale

• Wakefield

Coming soon:

• Enfield

• Merton

• Hull

• Manchester

• Brent

• Sunderland

• Arun

• Middlesbrough

• Newham

Website address & contact details

www.letshelpyou.co.uk

Enquiries: info@letshelpyou.co.uk

Technical assistance: helpdesk@letshelpyou.co.uk