Will Tenants Ever Pay Their Rent By Smartphone?

With large numbers of social housing tenants without bank accounts and regular internet access, you'd be forgiven for thinking the launch of a new mobile money transfer service, Paym, would have passed the housing sector by without a second glance. But the growth in mobile payments is not just fuelling the latest consumer craze: it's also helping to bridge the digital and financial divide and becoming an important budgeting tool, giving residents choice, convenience and control over their finances. In 2012, a free app was launched which allowed social housing residents to pay their rent with their smartphone. To date it has collected more than £50m in council tax and rent payments, and can represent between 1% and 5% of a social landlord's total transactions – a significant figure in a sector where more than 60% currently pay their rent in cash. Read more on the Guardian website.

Social Housing Tenants See Rise in Internet and Smartphone Use

Internet access and smartphone ownership are rising among social housing tenants but usage remains considerably lower than among the population at large. According to new figures from Ipsos MORI, Over 80% of the UK public is now online with smartphone ownership at a new high of 50%.  Internet access using any source among housing association tenants currently stands at 64%, ten percentage points higher than in July 2010, but still 18 points lower than the current national average. Just as it was in 2010, access among council housing tenants is currently 14 points lower (at 68%). Read more on 24dash.