Vale of Aylesbury Housing to partner with smart tech company Switchee

A Switchee is a thermostat that can be controlled remotely; allowing VAHT to manage and maintain their properties more effectively, for less money.

This follows a successful pilot which began in 2018 trialling 400 Switchee smart devices installed in a variety of homes, with the main focus on mould prevention.

VAHT said the results enabled them to take proactive action in 20% of the properties, where residents were surveyed, on damp and mould.

Moreover, through the use of Switchee smart technology, they were able to carry out remote heating tests for the first time, allowing us to identify boilers that needed attention, preventing emergency call outs at the first sign of cold weather.

Assistant Director of Property, Andrew Rysdale, said “Whilst we initially trialled Switchee to help us prevent the damaging effects of damp and mould, it became clear that it could provide so many other benefits, from scheduling appointments, for our housing and repairs team, to a very effective resident communication tool”.

"Switchee acts as a simple and intuitive control for the heating system and allows residents to save up to 17% on their energy bills. It also offers remote control of the heating system via an app.

"Data is then sent from the Switchee device via the mobile phone network up to the cloud. This information is processed, and the insights are shared directly with maintenance and support teams in real time.

"Switchee’s internet-connected thermostats gave us the ability to provide energy saving advice to 47 homes, including seven of those experiencing financial hardship.

"In addition, appointments scheduled using the device achieved a 100% first time access rate, during the pilot. In light of these successes we’re looking forward to integrating Switchee’s data with our own existing systems, to bring benefits and savings to both us and our residents."