New analysis from Housemark has revealed a sharp rise in anti-social behaviour (ASB) cases during the summer months, prompting warnings that landlords may need to rethink how they plan and resource neighbourhood services as temperatures continue to rise.
Housemark’s latest monthly Pulse survey, based on performance data from 132 social landlords, found new ASB cases increased by 24.3% in July, following a 32% rise between May and June.
Housemark’s analysis of ASB figures and Met Office temperature data found strong evidence of a seasonal relationship between warmer weather and increased ASB activity. The research found ASB case volumes are typically around 50% higher during summer than winter.
The findings suggest longer periods of warmer weather could extend traditional ASB peaks and create longer periods of elevated demand.
Alongside rising neighbourhood pressures, average re-let times rose to 50.5 days in July, exceeding 50days for the first time since March, despite vacancy rates continuing to improve. The median vacancy rate fell by 8.5% month-on-month to 0.53%
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The survey also highlighted the impact of repairs performance on customer satisfaction. While the median proportion of responsive repairs outstanding fell by 3.3% to 5.5% in July, around one in five landlords continued to report work in progress levels above 10%. Organisations with sustained backlogs above this level reported transactional repairs satisfaction scores 1.6 percentage points below the sector median of 89%.
Jonathan Cox, Chief Data Officer at Housemark, said: “As landlords navigate a rapidly changing operating environment, data is helping us understand emerging pressures before they become long-term challenges. The relationship between warmer weather and anti-social behaviour is becoming increasingly evident and raises important questions about how services are planned and resourced in the future.
“At the same time, landlords continue to balance competing operational demands, including reducing void periods, maintaining repairs performance and preparing for significant regulatory change. Understanding these trends is essential if organisations are to deliver efficient services and positive outcomes for residents.”
The seasonal relation to antisocial behaviour is another reason for landlords to be increasingly aware of rising summer temperatures, from both a social and operational point of view. Rising levels of ASB mirror the steadily climbing temperatures seen in British summer times, an environmental trend that directly impacts the viability of home and the safety of their residents. The University of Manchester recently published a paper calling for further environmental modelling to discern the viability of the UK’s housing stock, and accurately map the potential remediations needed to ensure Britain’s social housing remain safe during the rising temperatures.
The August Pulse survey included a number of other findings, including an increase in median satisfaction with landlord services (3.5%) and compliance with Awaab’s Law remaining at 98%, as Housemark says organisations are beginning to turn their attention towards the requirements of phase 2.
