In my last blog, I revealed what I believed were five CX traits that in five years' time will no longer be utilised. In this blog, I will highlight five capabilities most social housing CX teams don’t have today, or at least underutilise, but will be non-negotiable by 2030.

The social housing sector is standing on the edge of a major transformation. Tenant expectations are evolving rapidly, shaped by digital-first services, rising transparency demands, and the push for proactive care. While many providers are still focused on compliance and reactive service, the next five years will demand a radically different CX toolkit.

1. Predictive Analytics for Tenant Needs 

Why it will be critical:

Reactive service is expensive and erodes trust. Predictive analytics will allow providers to anticipate issues, for example, boiler failures, damp/mould risks, or arrears vulnerability, before they escalate. This isn’t science fiction; it’s already standard in utilities and retail. 

What it looks like in practice: 

  • Using historical repair data to forecast seasonal spikes.
  • Flagging properties with repeat issues for proactive inspections.
  • Identifying tenants at risk of arrears based on payment patterns and offering early support.

First step now: 

Start with basic trend analysis: Which repairs spike in winter? Which properties have 3+ repeat repairs in 90 days? You can use this to pilot a proactive campaign. 

2. Real-Time Sentiment Tracking

Why it will be critical:

As I highlighted in my last blog, the fact is that annual surveys are too slow. In five years, all boards and regulators will expect live visibility of tenant sentiment, especially during crises (e.g., heating outages, safety concerns). Real-time tracking enables rapid intervention and prevents reputational damage.

What it looks like in practice: 

  • Monitoring feedback from multiple channels (SMS, WhatsApp, web, IVR) in real time.
  • Using AI to detect frustration in messages and escalate to human support.
  • Dashboards showing live tenant effort scores and complaint conversion rates.

First step now: 

Introduce micro-feedback after key interactions (repairs, complaints). Aggregate weekly and share with service leads.

3. Hyper-Personalised Engagement 

Why it will be critical:

Generic letters and emails will feel archaic. Tenants will expect contextual, personalised updates, just like they get from delivery services or banks. Personalisation builds trust and reduces inbound calls.

What it looks like in practice: 

  • Communications tailored by channel preference, language, and vulnerability flags.
  • Event-driven updates: “Your repair is scheduled for Tuesday at 10am. Technician: Alex.”
  • Proactive nudges: “We noticed you missed your payment—click here for support options.”

First step now:
Map the repairs journey and implement three automated messages: booking confirmation, pre-appointment reminder, and completion + feedback link.

4. CX-Driven Service Design

Why it will be critical: 
Today, CX insights often sit in fancy dashboards that look great but rarely influence service design. In five years, CX will drive operational change, shaping processes, policies, and even asset investment decisions. 

What it looks like in practice:

  • Using tenant survey scores to redesign repairs scheduling.
  • Aligning complaints data with policy reviews.
  • Embedding CX metrics into board-level KPIs and service improvement plans.

First step now: 
Run a service design sprint on one broken journey (e.g., complaints). Use real tenant feedback to map pain points and redesign the process. 

5) AI and Automation for Proactive Support 

Why it will be critical: 
With rising demand and tight budgets, automation is going to become essential for scale. That said, AI won’t replace human empathy, but it will handle routine tasks, freeing staff for complex cases. 

What it looks like in practice: 

  • Chatbots for simple queries (rent balance, repair status). 
  • Automated triage for complaints and repairs. 
  • AI-driven vulnerability detection based on language patterns in messages. 

First step now:
Start small: implement SMS or WhatsApp bots for repair status updates. Measure the reduction of inbound calls. 

The CX Operating Model of 2030 

The next five years will reshape social housing more profoundly than the last twenty. The providers who succeed won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets, but the ones willing to rethink how they understand, support, and engage their tenants. By embracing predictive insight, live feedback, personalised communication, service‑led design, and meaningful automation, the sector can finally move from reactive firefighting to proactive care. The organisations that start this journey now won’t just meet rising expectations, they’ll help define what trustworthy, human-centred housing looks like in 2030. 

If you’re ready to explore what these capabilities could look like in your organisation, now is the moment to start. Begin with one journey, one dataset, or one automated interaction—and build from there. The shift to proactive, insight‑driven social housing won’t happen overnight, but those who take the first step today will shape the standards everyone else follows tomorrow.