localpad, launched in 1999, is our state-of-the-art housing management system that allows Councils and Housing Associations to manage and advertise Private Rented Sector properties in their region, whilst saving them valuable resources in completing administrative tasks. The software is online-based and fully customisable to our clients needs.
Introduction
Among the benefits of using localpad as your go-to management and advertisement tool for all available properties in your area, in the past year we’ve also worked on a very important achievement for the future of homelessness all across the UK that is a direct benefit to your allocated budget for social housing: integrating localpad to combat homelessness and to improve access to private rented accommodation for the homeless. So much so, that last year on the 23rd of October, at the Chartered Institute of Housing Midlands Awards, Homefinder – the custom-tailored localpad website for Blaby District Council – won first prize for the Business Transformation of the Year award:
“Homefinder is made up of a partnership of Leicestershire city and district councils, and some partners have reported a 50% reduction in the number of temporary accommodation placements reducing significant costs. The scheme has increased housing solutions, provided advice, information and support for landlords, as well as identifying rogue landlords.”
“The judges were impressed with how the Homefinder website had improved access to private rented accommodation for the homeless, increased the supply of affordable, good quality private rented accommodation and improved property management standards” (Blaby Council).
So how does it work?
localpad is an online, fully customisable platform that allows you to manage Private Rented Sector accommodation, landlords and tenants. Subsequently you can advertise properties that are currently available in your area. You decide which landlords have permission to advertise properties, on your customised localpad website, which in turn ensures you gain full control over the quality of accommodation that has been promoted by your institution.
Landlords will set up an account, in accordance with your pre-existing criteria and then add the properties that are available for the Private Rented Sector. Provided that the properties meet the criteria, they can then be advertised publicly for tenants. Prospective tenants can easily browse through the property listings or search using various requirements. This will save your customers a lot of time when searching for suitable accommodation, as they have already filtered in terms of location and quality.
Currently over fifty-two Councils and Housing Associations throughout the United Kingdom engage with localpad and trust in our service, including all eight Leicestershire councils who operate as a hub, as well as Perth and Kinross and DASH.
Right now Councils just like yours are saving considerable sums - but don’t just take out word for it. Here’s what Rebecca Holcroft from Blaby District Council says about localpad. For further information we recommend watching the full interview, featuring our conversation with Rebecca.
“We have not had to increase our temporary accommodation budget over the last 3 years, in fact last year we only used just over half (and) we did over 60 lets through Homefinder to homeless families.”
What about the future?
We also have exciting news for the future. Advicepad is our latest solution to assist the housing sector in identifying the needs of clients at risk of homelessness with support, intervention and prevention being the focus with the automatic generation of the P1e returns. It will be launched later this summer and is already getting a rave response from those councils who have seen it for its intuitive nature and the way it automates and simplifies what are presently arduous processes.
