Each month we select good practice by social landlords in how their websites are designed and used, looking at specific issues, such as information giving and on-line services for tenants and other service users.
This new organisation is a subsidiary of the Hyde Group, created to provide housing management services, deliver the social and economic regeneration programme, and complete the development programme for the Stonebridge Estate, in Harlesden. Being a new organisation its website is new.
At first sight there is the usual selection of on-line services and information. A closer inspection, however, reveals a particularly open and friendly approach. For example:
Do you owe rent? Are you finding it difficult to pay your rent?
Don't know which way to turn? Are you having difficulty managing your bills?
Do you think you might be missing out on the help you need to pay your rent? Then you need to contact your Housing Officer.
We want to hear from you and we want to hear sooner rather then later.
Of particular interest is the speech-enabled Browsealoud software. This aid, for visually impaired users, is free and easy to download from the website. Once installed just scroll the mouse over the text and Browsealoud will read out the selected text. Browsealoud reads menus and links, making this an easy website to navigate for all users.
Some websites have an immediate welcoming feel, and this is one of them. It also has an easy to remember web address, especially compared to the addresses composed by some social landlords - who seemingly go out of their way to test even the best memory.
Being another relatively new website, we looked for something different and innovative. Even though the site is still having its finishing touches applied, we were not disappointed.
Like many landlord websites, on-line rent payment is available. What was new to us is the additional provision to view your rent balance. We would be interested to hear from any other social landlord that provides this service.
All in all, this is a busy and informative website, which promises much more to come.