Driving Down Arrears at Greatwell Homes by Over 50% with Caseload Manager

56%

reduction in arrears, outperforming Greatwell's annual target

£33,000

collected via automated SMS payment link in 6 months

30%

reduction in officer caseloads, boosting efficiency and morale

Greatwell Homes, who manage around 5,500 homes across Northamptonshire, adopted Voicescape Caseload Manager three years ago as part of a wider strategy to modernise and streamline rent income recovery.  Since then, the AI-powered solution has become integral to their day-to-day operations, replacing a basic arrears list with intelligent, real-time recommendations that free officer time, boost accuracy, and delivering exceptional results year-on-year - a reminder how far the team has come since implementation. 

The Challenge 

 The previous product: 

• Contained inaccurate recommendations 

• Offered no performance tracking or segmentation 

• Was time-consuming to navigate and audit 

"It was just a glorified list. We had no visibility, no prioritisation, and no way to track or audit performance."

Selina Bhambra, Income Recovery Team Leader 

The Solution 

Greatwell Homes adopted Caseload Manager early on and was impressed by the demo and Voicescape’s consultative onboarding approach. Key features implemented: 

• Daily processing recommendations synced with Orchard - preventing officers from chasing customers who have already paid 

• Integrated SMS and email communication 

• Customisable, intuitive dashboards for officer and manager visibility 

• Feedback-led improvements, including a real-time payment link via allpay 

"The platform mirrors our Orchard system, but with added intelligence. Everything’s visible - notes, balances, numbers. I can even audit accounts in seconds... If someone made a payment yesterday, it’s now showing on our system, which means it won’t show as a recommendation. That’s really time savings, and good for the customer too.” 

Selina Bhambra, Income Recovery Team Leader 

The Results 

Impact Highlights: 

• Arrears more than halved (56%), outperforming the yearly 2.5% target 

• 221 fewer cases per week across the team (down 30% per officer per week) 

• Surplus funds redirected into estate improvements and net-zero goals 

• Happier tenants: fewer missed benefits, more relevant conversations 

• Improved morale: “They trust the system. They enjoy using it.”  

"It's almost like free money - £33k in only six months from just the payment link." 

Selina Bhambra, Income Recovery Team Leader 

Improving Tenant Outcomes Through Early Identification of Benefits Issues 

One of the key impacts of Caseload Manager at Greatwell Homes has been its role in supporting tenant sustainment by identifying benefits-related issues early. By surfacing relevant recommendations, such as suspended Housing Benefit or underpaid Universal Credit, officers can quickly escalate these cases to their in-house Benefits Advisor. This early intervention ensures tenants receive the right support to maximise their income, resolve payment issues, and maintain their tenancies. 

"If Caseload Manager didn’t flag these cases, we wouldn’t know about them. Now, we’re able to help tenants sooner and keep more people in their homes." 

Selina Bhambra, Income Recovery Team Leader 

Strategic Value 

• Reinforces Greatwell’s digital-first, tenant-centred approach 

• Supports income maximisation through better data and benefit signposting 

• Reduces friction for tenants while improving sustainability outcomes 

"If you're considering Caseload Manager - definitely do it. It's time-saving, staff-friendly, and delivers real results." 

Selina Bhambra, Income Recovery Team Leader 

If you’d like to discuss how Voicescape can help streamline your income processes and reduce arrears debt in a sector where it’s rising, please get in touch with us today, we'd love to help!