Deliver important housing documents residents can always find

A practical guide to choosing the right approach for resident communications, from everyday messages and live housing information to important documents residents may need to keep for years.

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A complete approach to resident documents

Different documents do different jobs

Housing management systems, email and SMS, resident portals and Documentd each serve a different purpose. The right choice depends on the job: managing homes and tenancies, communicating with residents, providing access and self-service, or permanently delivering an important document the resident should retain. Using each in the right way creates a better resident experience and reduces avoidable administration and support queries.

Housing systems Manage homes & tenancies

Manage properties, tenancies, rent accounts, repairs, resident information and housing records.

Email & SMS Communicate

Reminders, service updates, appointments and everyday resident communications.

Four complementary roles The right tool for the right job

Better service · fewer support queries

Documentd Deliver, keep & find

Deliver permanent, resident-owned copies that remain private, accessible and easy to find.

Resident portal Access & self-serve

Secure access to live account information, repairs, payments, requests and self-service.

No single channel is right for every resident communication. Email and SMS work well for reminders and updates, resident portals for live information and self-service, and Documentd for important documents that ought to become permanent, resident-owned records.

Housing associations in practice

Choose the right approach for each communication

Resident portals are the right place for current rent information, repairs, requests and self-service. Email and SMS handle reminders, appointments and transient updates. Documentd is designed for important point-in-time documents residents may need to retain during and after their tenancy, lease or shared-ownership relationship. Using each appropriately gives residents a clearer experience and helps reduce avoidable administration and support queries.

Email & SMS

Communicate

Best for reminders, updates and communications whose value is mainly immediate.

Repair appointment reminders
Service updates
Payment reminders
Inspection appointments
Requests for information

Resident portal

Access & self-serve

The right place for current information, requests and ongoing self-service.

Current rent balance
Payment history
Repair requests and status
Personal details
Current account information
Online forms and requests

Documentd

Deliver & retain

For important point-in-time housing documents residents should keep.

Tenancy agreements
Rent change notices
Service charge statements
Annual rent statements
Lease and shared-ownership documents
Important completed correspondence

Where Documentd fits

Resident portals support the housing relationship. Documentd gives important housing documents a permanent home with the resident.

Resident portals are excellent for current balances, payments, repairs, requests and self-service. Email and SMS are efficient for reminders, appointments, service updates and other transient communications. Important point-in-time documents have a different job: residents may need them to understand their tenancy or lease, check historic rent or service charges, resolve a query or dispute, or simply retain a record of their housing relationship years later.

Documentd is designed for those records. It delivers a permanent, resident-owned copy into the resident's own private document home, independent of continued access to the housing association's portal and easy to find again whenever it is needed. That remains useful when a resident moves home, changes tenure or no longer has access to their former resident account.

Where legislation, regulation or the tenancy or lease requires a particular method of service for a formal notice, Documentd can complement that process by giving the resident an accessible long-term digital copy rather than replacing the required method of service.

Housing systems manage properties, tenancies, rent accounts, repairs, resident data and housing records.

Email & SMS communicate reminders, appointments, updates and other short-lived information.

Resident portals provide secure access to current account information, repairs, requests and self-service.

Documentd delivers permanent, resident-owned copies of important housing documents.

Business Case 08

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See how Documentd can reduce portal complexity, improve customer service and phase out unnecessary post.

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