The Gentoo Group, which is the largest housing association in Sunderland, has announced a change in how it delivers annual rent statements to its residents. Starting this year, the organisation is moving to a digital-first approach for its 2025-26 rent statements, replacing the traditional paper documents previously sent through the post.
The housing association provides homes for more than 60,000 people across approximately 28,000 properties. According to the group, the shift aims to provide faster access and increased convenience for tenants, while also improving document security and reducing the environmental impact of printing and postage.
Tenants who have an email address on file with the organisation will receive their statement via email. For those without an email address but who have provided a mobile number, the statement will be delivered by text message. To ensure all residents can access their information, anyone without an email address or mobile number on file will continue to receive a paper statement by post.
Digital statements will be sent as a password-protected link, with the tenant’s date of birth acting as the password. This change is part of an ongoing effort to update services across the organisation, led by the executive team, including the Executive Director of Transformation.
The Regulator of Social Housing, which monitors the governance and viability of housing associations, currently grades the group as G1 for governance and V2 for financial viability. The housing provider was originally formed in 2001 following a landmark decision by Sunderland City Council tenants to transfer their housing stock.
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