How TVC is helping The L&Q Group offer an even better service
L&Q is a regulated charitable housing association and one of the UK’s most successful independent social businesses.
The L&Q Group houses around 250,000 people in more than 92,000 homes, primarily across London and the South East. Everything they do begins with social purpose. Their roots go back to the ‘new wave’ of housing associations created in the 1960’s, born out of a growing social consciousness around housing and homelessness. L&Q set out to provide quality, affordable homes for the most vulnerable in society and it is that same fundamental mission that drives them today.
L&Q’s vision is that everyone has a quality home they can afford, and they combine their social purpose with commercial drive to create homes and neighborhoods everyone can be proud of. Their core tenure is social rented housing. On average, L&Q’s residents living in these homes pay less than 50% of market rents, making them genuinely affordable for people on lower incomes. L&Q are absolutely committed to preserving this housing, and building more of it. They focus on the needs of their existing social housing residents by investing in their homes, local communities and services. They also create high quality homes for private rent, shared
ownership and outright sale.
In response to the housing and affordability crisis, they will build 100,000 new homes over ten years. Of these, 60,000 homes will be built or funded by L&Q, whilst a further 40,000 will come through partnerships. Crucially, at least 50% of the new homes we build will be genuinely affordable, with a target of 60% in London.
The Goal
With a large number of lifts to manage, spread across a wide area, L&Q needed a centralised, remote lifts monitoring system.
TVC’s web-based monitoring system, CMS Anywhere, features a central dashboard that allows L&Q to share data. It also helps to make informed budgeting and contract decisions for all their lifts and associated equipment. The dashboard offers clear and simple visibility for lifts availability, passenger trappings and other lift-related matters enabling L&Q to transform their lifts management.
Gareth Plunkett, Electrical Engineering Manager at L&Q had a number of concerns that he wanted the system to address. “We’d received positive feedback about TVC’s CMS Anywhere from other housing associations. We wanted to see what could be done to improve our service and provide a sleeker approach in managing our lifts portfolio.”
Since the trial in 2015 L&Q has commissioned TVC monitoring systems on 260 lifts and CCTV on 44 lifts. CMS Anywhere is helping L&Q to improve and automate its services for the benefit of its residents and because the system saves money it can be reinvested back into the community.
Manage Lift Breakdowns and Passenger Trappings
One of L&Q’s main difficulties was in identifying when lifts had broken down. Sometimes it was dependent on residents and caretakers to let them know. As with any lifts, breakdowns and trappings can occur. L&Q were not alone in experiencing false reports of trappings and breakdowns. The lifts company would attend a site only to find the lifts working on arrival and presented L&Q with an expensive call-out invoice.
The Solution
Instant & Verified Notifications
CMS Anywhere provides instant, timestamped lift breakdown status, colour coded to offer simple visibility. The alert is also sent via email and text, allowing L&Q to take prompt action which includes operating the lift remotely. If the lift doesn’t run, it’s clearly a true breakdown and or trapping.
This instant report and verification both improves the service for residents and saves L&Q money.
Health & Safety
Health and Safety is the number one factor for L&Q’s residents and visitors.
L&Q wanted to provide additional cost-effective protection from lift related safety issues and vandalism without draining critical resources.
The Solution
Integrated CCTV
The CCTV option within CMS Anywhere dashboard helps L&Q lift passengers to feel safe and also provides assistance in the event of a lift trapping. With two-way communication, trapped passenger can be reassured that help is on its way. It also records vandalism which can be used as evidence against defendants where costs for repair can be recovered.
Expenditure Targeting
L&Q wanted to prioritise repair and maintenance expenditure on the lifts that really needed it to ensure residents received value for money.
The Solution
‘Worst Lifts’ Report
L&Q Management and budgeting decisions are now supported through CMS Anywhere’s informed reports. Meaningful reports include ‘Worst Equipment’ which clearly shows which lifts are continuously breaking down enabling L&Q to target repairs and renewals.
Since the trial in 2015 L&Q has commissioned TVC monitoring systems on 260 lifts and CCTV on 44 lifts. CMS Anywhere is helping L&Q to improve and automate its services for the benefit of its residents and because the system saves money it can be reinvested back into the community.