COMPLETING THE COMPLIANCE CIRCLE: NEW PARTNERSHIP DELIVERS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND FULL IMPLEMENTATION
Two leading IT suppliers to the housing sector have announced a new partnership, signed on 1st March 2021, enabling them to provide a full-service solution for compliance management.
Propeller Powered provides cloud-based software specifically developed to encompass planning, monitoring and reporting across key areas of property compliance. With remote access for mobile workforces, and user-friendly dashboards for support staff and management, Propeller enables social landlords to have instant visibility over compliance at all times, in real time. The company recently appointed a new managing director, Dave Carr, who started in the role on 1st November 2020.
Manifest Consulting specialises in providing business and IT consultancy in the housing sector. From initial process review through extensive auditing and interviews with users, through rollout and full implementation, they ensure that the recommended systems genuinely solve issues. Manifest’s diligent hand-holding enables clients to improve processes across the full life cycle, from the quality of initial data going in, to the reports produced at the other end, and how they can then be acted on. Manifest’s compliance services are overseen by Peter Salisbury, director of housing consultancy.
Carr says that the partnership is the consolidation of a longstanding relationship, and has been formalised following identification of a real need in the sector not only for the right tools at the right cost, but also the ongoing advice and support to optimise their usage.
“Both Pete and I have significant experience specifically in the housing sector, clocking up over forty years between us. Having worked together on numerous projects in the past, this new partnership is the logical next step. We frequently work with the same clients and although what we provide is fundamentally different in that Propeller is product-based while Manifest offers the consultancy service that many housing associations need, there’s considerable overlap. What’s become apparent is that by joining forces from the outset, we can offer a far more holistic solution to support landlords through the full compliance life-cycle, and that can only be a benefit for all concerned.”
Salisbury, who specialises in compliance consultancy, says that the joined-up approach offers tangible benefits from the outset, and adds real value to both companies’ existing offering. “We know that Propeller’s software is a fantastic tool for clients to manage their compliance in a straightforward, fully auditable way, but we’ve seen at first hand that there are some clients that need to look at the bigger picture in order to get the most out of it. Using our Safer Homes methodology, a rigorous review of internal processes, extensive knowledge of compliance regimes and best practice mean that we can provide strategic advice and practical support to leverage the full power of Propeller to truly complete the compliance circle for registered providers.”
Added to this, Manifest are working with Propeller to incrementally enhance the software in line with our Safer Homes methodology. This helps cement Propeller’s software as sector leading and allows us to jointly develop new features that meet the developing needs of registered providers.
The partnership’s first project is with a local authority landlord in the eastern region that manages over 6,000 properties. After initial review and pre-implementation consultancy from Manifest, the housing service moved to Propeller in Jan 2021 as part of its compliance improvements. Since then, and for the next 6 months, Manifest will continue to support admin and management with all aspects of wider implementation and associated processes.
