RHP
Transforming housing services with lived experiences at the core
Background
Richmond Housing Project (RHP) is a charitable housing provider managing over 11,000 affordable homes for social rent and shared ownership in South West London. Their mission is to provide safe, secure homes that open the door to life’s opportunities for their diverse group residents.
RHP's website plays a pivotal role in helping users manage their homes - from paying rent and reporting repairs to accessing essential support. Many residents only turn to the website when something has gone wrong in the home – often feeling stressed, worried and urgently seeking a solution.
Our user research revealed that residents were finding it difficult to navigate; experiencing broken user journeys and struggling to find the information they needed and ended up turning to customer services for help.
RHP needed a digital platform that was inclusive, intuitive and supportive, especially for users with low digital literacy or limited English. The experience needed to help people easily find the information they need, self-serve confidently, and move through clear, well-signposted user journeys.
"Great State were a true partner, listening to residents, simplifying journeys and giving us a modern, component-based platform we can evolve. It's cut complexity, put control in our peoples hands, and helped more people get what they need without unnecessary contact.”
- Gareth Levingston, Head of Technology, RHP
Solution
To meet these needs, we turned to Umbraco Heartcore, as the headless CMS that would provide us with the flexibility, scalability and full editorial control that we needed from day one. Its decoupled architecture allowed us to develop the website with Next.js, ensuring fast performance, efficient workflows and a future-proof foundation.
Inclusivity and accessibility guided every decision. We simplified the site architecture, streamlined key tasks and introduced clear, human-centred design patterns. Content was redeveloped using a framework focused on real user needs, making each page supportive and easy to navigate.
The Heartcore GraphQL API enabled fast, efficient content delivery with build times of around 2 minutes 30 seconds. Editors can preview and assemble pages in real time, and the search API provides quick, accurate results. Umbraco Forms allows non-technical staff to manage complex forms with conditional logic, file uploads and custom fields without needing developer support.
A component-based system using Umbraco’s Block List Editor gives editors complete freedom to create rich, consistent page layouts. This modular approach ensures timely communication, maintains accessibility standards and supports ongoing flexibility.
And crucially, we took the time to create a refreshed digital brand – resulting in a calm and trust-building experience for its users. High-contrast colours, legible typography and friendly, diverse imagery helped residents feel confident using the site, while mobile-first layouts ensured consistency across devices.
0%
decrease in contact form submissions
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decrease in session times
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increase in file downloads
Impact
The new platform has transformed how residents interact with RHP online.
Contact form submissions dropped by 60%, showing more residents are resolving issues independently.
Session times fell by 13%, indicating users can now complete tasks faster and more efficiently.
By combining human-centred design with a flexible, scalable digital foundation, RHP now delivers a faster, clearer and more supportive experience for residents. The platform provides a future-ready solution that truly empowers people while meeting operational needs, built on the capabilities of Umbraco Heartcore.
