GB2577269A

GB2577269A - App for monitored occupancy

Info

Publication number: GB2577269A
Application number: GB1815225.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anne Traynor-Paget Charlotte
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-09-19
Filing date: 2018-09-19
Publication date: 2020-03-25
Also published as: GB201815225D0

Abstract

An app for a smart device that allows an occupant, whether a homeowner or a tenant, to access information about a particular property and submit information relating to defects or snagging items during their occupancy periods to an agent/manager of said property and provides immediate feedback that said information has been delivered. The app may maintain a record of warranties relevant to work completed/products within the property and indicate to the occupant if such a warranty is/is not expired. The app may be provided to the occupant upon occupation of said property. Should the occupant attempt to submit an issue for work completed/a product outside of the warranty for said work/product, the app may highlight this to the occupant at the time of submission. The app may allow for photographic evidence to be provided.

Description

APP FOR MONITORED OCCUPANCY

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an app provided on a smart device such as a smart phone, tablet or similar to provide a monitored time line of occupancy for warranty periods (if the property is owned) and tenancy lengths when a property is rented. In most cases it is envisaged that the Developer/Agency will provide this app as part of their package for the purchaser/tenant as a built in Cost to the Purchase or Letting Package.

[0002] The app also provides for photographic evidence to be submitted for defects and/or snagging during occupancy periods and provides for easy access to information for the occupier of a property of procedures relating to Emergencies, Appliances useful contacts and information specific to the New Home Developer from which property has been purchased or the Agent through which the property is being leased.

Background Art

[0003] Software and building maintenance solutions are known from the prior art, but these solutions are largely wholly software based and only provide information to the manager of the building, with little or no interaction with the occupier of the relevant property.

[0004] Published document US 201 5/221 05 1 Al (also published as WO 2014/022916 Al) describes a system and method for long-term repair and maintenance of at least one property to which Landlords and service providers may access the system to manage repair and maintenance of the property. However, the system operates entirely via a processor which reads maintenance history data and operates without user input or reporting.

[0005] A similar system, but used for the purposes of determining a purchase price for a property, is described in the published document CA 2 4941 893 Al. This document describes systems and computer implemented methods for forming a connected device based property evaluation. In one example, operations include identifying a property associated with an initial price and collecting information about the property by receiving information from one or more connected devices associated with the property. The connected devices can have a sensor for monitoring the condition within the property and can provide information about the condition to the connected device, where the information is associated with a current status of the identified property. At least one action to be performed at the property based on the collected information is determined, with each action corresponding to an element at the property. An aggregated set of cost information associated with each action is determined and combined with the initial price to determine a modified purchase price, which is then presented.

[0006] A slightly different "decision-making" system and method is described in published document GB 25939020 A to facilitate decision-making on a watercraft, such as a shape or boat, which comprises processors that acquire environmental data from measurements of one or more parameters of the environment in the locality of the watercraft. Multiple digital models are provided, each model modelling an effect of the environment on a respective capability of the watercraft, with each capability being assigned to one or more watercraft actions or related entity actions. The processors receive a selection of an action and using the output of each model determine a risk assessment for the selected action which is reported to the user or operator of the watercraft who can then decide whether or not to carry out the action based upon the output risk assessment.

Summary of invention

[0007] The present invention provides an app having multiple uses and applications that allow an occupant, whether a homeowner or a tenant, to access both information about a particular property and submit information relating to defects or snagging items during their occupancy periods. The provision is supplied on occupation of a property via Purchase or Let and alerts the customer to timelines such as warranty notifications of snagging list submissions, end of cover and timescales. From the letting perspective the provision provides due dates for inspections, fault raising and inventory submission.

[0008] When defects are raised the provision highlights information that is relevant to the business: if the property is a new home and the warranty lasts one year but the defect of a damaged front door cover only lasts for the first three months, should the occupant try to raise the issue later than the defect warranty permits, it will highlight this fact to the occupant at the time of submitting any issues (with the aim of managing objections). The app design can be tailored to its licensed owner with detailed specifics relevant to their company profile.

[0009] Therefore, the purpose of the app is to streamline and manage customer expectations, with clear guidelines for all the information to be obtained through a more user-friendly and accessible method.

Brief description of drawings

[0010] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a process flow pathway for the user of the system to log initial lists when taking occupancy of a property and can be used to highlight who is the Site Manager or Agent letting the property as well as giving the user comprehensive options; Fig. 2 shows a process having only four options for the user from which to choose including useful information regarding Emergency issues and how these are to be handled according to each business and useful information on multiple options to direct the user to click on the suitable pathway as required by each business.

[0011] Once the application is installed on a smart device, its icon appears on the main screen and when the user first opens the application via the icon, a welcome screen is presented. For a new house build, this is followed by an advisory notice that confirms that "this is a Customer Warranty Portal" and then the first sensitive information screen is displayed -'Development' and 'Plot Number' -this information is required to be input by the user. Should be application be used for a Tenancy, the sensitive information will be 'Agent' and 'Address'. If this information is correct the message: "Welcome -Customer/Client name will be displayed. If this information is incorrect or denied the Developer or Agent will be contacted. In this situation, unlock codes will be issued by the supplier of the app to the Customer. A Warranty Cover Page will be displayed confirming the dates of cover or in the instance of Lettings Tenancy a time and frame.

[0012] With reference to fig. 1, this pathway is for the user to the page for logging initial lists when taking occupancy and may be configured to highlight who is the Site Manager or Agent letting the property. From the screen "add list", the user can submit a point by point list of snagging, defects, faults and/or concerns. The list will prompt the customer for 'photograph required' for the key areas where the business, client and/or the landlord deem proof is most required. This will be highlighted by the business depending upon their model. The user can check the list and submit pictures and evidence directly on the list. The submit list option becomes available to the user on completion of the list. Once this list is closed, the list remains viewable to the consumer and is emailed to the business. No further addition can be made. The user receives a 'Thank You screen' and is redirected to the Menu. The Menu shows that the list has been submitted by a Tick to that section.

[0013] 6 Month Snagging / Rental Inspections (Monthly / Quarterly / 6 months / Annual) -This pathway is for the user and the page is for logging lists when reporting at the latter stages of occupation and may be shown to highlight who is the Business Representative or Agent overseeing the Let of the property. From "start list", the user can submit a room by room list of snagging, defects, faults or concerns. The list will prompt the customer in red with a message regarding the defect they are snagging e.g. 'scratched glass' cannot be added at this stage in the warranty period and would need to be highlighted at the occupation stage or a Leak will highlight as an 'Emergency' and the options will be adaptable for the relevant business, client and/or landlord. Photos will be requested on each room for proof of the defect and this may be highlighted by the business depending upon their preferred model.

[0014] FAQs may be referred to at this stage for information of tolerances and can be tailored to business models. The next room option becomes available to the user upon completion of the list for the room before. Once this option is closed, the list remains viewable to the consumer and is emailed to the business. No further additions can then be made. As previously described, the user receives the 'Thank You Screen' and is redirected to the Menu. The Menu shows that the list has been submitted by a Tick to that section.

[0015] Fig. 2 shows an alternative layout having only 4-way options from which the user may select. These are '14 day' snagging and/or inventory -this proceeds to the option to create this list and can be tailored to the business timescales as provided by the company model. '6 month' snagging and/or rental property checks -this also proceeds to the option to create this list and again can this proceeds to multiple options tailored to the business timescales according to the company model. Emergencies this proceeds to multiple options depending upon the Emergency issue as advised by the business depending on their requirements and directed Emergency procedures. This directs the user to click on the required pathway and can be tailored to different business models. The final option is 'useful information' -this so proceeds to multiple options depending upon the Emergency issue and directs the user to click on the required pathway that can be tailored to different business models.

[0016] The detailed description outlined above gives some examples of how an app according to the invention could look and function on a smart device as well as the type of issues that could be handled directly between a business (such as a construction company) or Rental Agent and a client or customer using the features of the smart device to provide feedback and thereby manage customer expectations. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how this type of app could be modified and extended to different types of businesses and their interactions with their customers to enhance customer relations and help avoid misunderstandings occurring in the future.

Claims

Claims 1. The present invention provides an app for smart devices having multiple uses and applications, wherein provision is made available for a consumer or customer to submit information about particular aspects of a product directly to the business supplying the product via the app, which provides immediate feedback to the consumer or customer that the fault or defect has been sent to the business.
2. An app for smart devices according to claim 1, wherein the app keeps a record of such faults or defects for the consumer or customer's records.
3. An app for smart devices according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the app maintains a record of the warranties relevant to the particular product and highlights to the consumer or customer if this warranty is still relevant or has now expired.
4. An app for smart devices according to any of the preceding claims particularly adapted to the occupation of a property via purchase or let that includes a provision to allow an occupant, whether a homeowner or a tenant, to access both information about a particular property and submit information relating to defects or snagging items during their occupancy periods.
5. An app for smart devices according to claim 4, wherein the app is supplied on occupation of a property via Purchase or Let and the provision alerts the customer to timelines such as warranty notifications of snagging list submissions, end of cover and timescales.
6. An app for smart devices according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein should the occupant try to raise an issue later than the defect warranty permits, the app will highlight this fact to the occupant at the time of submitting the issue.
7. An app for smart devices according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the app includes the provision of photographic evidence of faults or defects