Dear East Cambridgeshire District Council,

I am a post graduate student currently undertaking research in to whether the use of internet enabled 'smart' technology can be utilised to improve the efficiency of maintenance in the social housing sector.

Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would therefore be grateful if you could respond to the following questions:

1. Does your authority retain ownership and management of its social housing stock? If not, please could you provide contact details for the Housing Association(s), ALMO's etc., to whom your stock was transferred?

The following questions need only be answered if you continue to own and manage your social housing stock.

2. How many socially rented properties do you currently own?

3. Does the Council currently use any form of internet enabled smart technology to assist in the maintenance of its properties e.g. smoke alarms linked to a portal so maintenance personnel can identify when the alarm has been disconnected/failed? If so, please could you provide details of the types of devices utilised? Would you be willing to discuss your experience in more detail?

4. If the Council is not currently utilising any such technology, has the issue ever been considered? If so, please could you provide details as to why it was not pursued?

I thank you for your consideration of the above queries and I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

Phil Hiscott