Housing providers talk a lot about systems, integrations and single sources of truth, but when data goes wrong in the real world, it rarely feels like a technical issue, it feels like a human one.  

We see all too often situations where tenants receive the wrong letters, vulnerable residents are missed off lists, or stakeholders are given contradictory information by mistake. In that moment, the “data dilemma” becomes a communications problem. Although data mishaps vary in degree of severity, all needs careful handling and considerable communications thought.  

At our recent roundtable, we focused on ‘the data dilemma’ in the housing world and were joined by councils, housing providers, technology experts, data analysts and project managers and advisers who work within the housing sector on a daily basis.  

There are a number of reasons why programmes don’t go to plan, or your data lets you down. There is nothing more frustrating when delivering a long term change programme, to see your efforts undermined but something completely avoidable, like a faulty excel document or an entry error. Although perhaps a small, frustrating issue, the consequences can be far reaching.  

Some key areas where data issues are more likely to occur include: 

• Legacy IT systems - that limit interoperability and create fragmented datasets 

• Skills gaps – no dedicated data analytics roles  

• Unclear governance – where no single team is responsible for maintaining data quality 

• Cultural challenges – where data is often seen as an IT issue rather than an organisational asset  

At Pearl Comms we’ve managed and delivered a number of strategic change programmes from a communications perspective, from council department overhauls to public sector operating model changes. We also operate within the housing world for developers and social housing providers, enabling us to provide a unique set of insights.   

When your data has let you down, there are clearly operational and governance issues to address – what happened, why, how do we stop this happening again, do the ICO need to be made aware, the list does go on, but from a communications perspective, the stakes can be high too. Handling a data mishap well can make or break an organisation’s reputation.   

In many situations, you may not be able to fix the root cause overnight, but you can control how you show up to tenants, partners, boards and regulators in the aftermath. A wellhandled data failure can still demonstrate that you are accountable, valuesdriven and serious about putting things right. A poorly handled one, can quickly do the opposite and actually undermine the entire programme you’re delivering.  

Below are five practical tips for building a data rescue comms plan  

1. Start with facts

Before you draft a single thing, establish what you know for certain – what went wrong, who has been affected, and what the immediate risks are. Even if the picture is incomplete, be clear about what is confirmed and what is still being investigated. This helps you avoid vague, woolly statements that create more questions than answers. 

Clarity will be your best friend here. Don’t speculate on what you don’t know and always lead with honesty and simplicity.  Consider what happened, who is impacted, what it means for them, what will happen next and importantly, when they’ll hear from you next.  

2. Mapout yourstakeholder and tailor your message 

Although you may have a core message that will need to be relayed to all parties, the exact same message and wording is unlikely to suit all impacted parties, it may also be that not all data incidents impact all groups in the same way.  

By mapping out your audiences, you can create a messaging matrix that is clear and not open to interpretation. Consider tenants and residents, frontline staff, internal team, senior leaders, board members, partners, suppliers, investors, MPs or other Key Individual Networks, and potentially regulators and local media. For each group, define what they need to know, how they may feel, and what action (if any) you need them to take. 

3. Establishyour communications tone 

All of your communications need to be tailored by tone and level of detail. For example, tenants will need a focus on impact and answering questions like ‘what this means for you’ and ‘what we’re doing about it.’ For boards and regulators, you will need more detail on root causes, governance and timelines for remediation. The core narrative should be consistent, but the framing and depth should be adapted to each audience. 

We often find that preparing a Q&A at this stage can be a very helpful way of getting all potential queries, especially the hardest ones to answer, considered by senior leadership team as soon as possible.  

Comms teams are there to help protect reputation, so don’t shy away from asking the hard questions.  

4. 4. Own the issue

Data ownership gaps are often exposed at exactly the wrong moment and often when establishing accountability is important. This isn’t the blame game, but identifying the root cause is important.  

If different teams are saying different things, responses become delayed, and you appear disjointed, evasive or slow. None of which demonstrate that you care.  

Ideally, your rescue plan needs a clear internal owner with the authority to coordinate IT, operations, housing management and comms.  

5. 5. Communicate the fix as a story, not a spreadsheet

Once the immediate issue is contained, tenants and stakeholders will want to know how you will stop this happening again. This is where data storytelling comes in. Instead of burying people in technical detail, take them on a short, clear journey, including what happened, what you learned, what you’ve changed, and what difference they should expect to see. 

For example, you might explain that you have introduced a named data owner for key systems, tightened quality checks before bulk communications go out, and implemented more rigorous system testing before new features are launched.  

The sticking point – quite often you realise a data issue when a communication has landed in the wrong hands. You must consider that when you’re ready to communicate about the issue to rectify the situation, that you’re not going to make the same data mistake again. Identifying the root cause is essential.  

The biggest mistake after a data failure is to treat communication as a oneoff apology and move on. Trust isn’t restored by a single statement, it’s rebuilt over time. Your recovery plan should be months long, not days.