MyAccount is for everyone

New year, new skills – we’re getting older people online

At our later living schemes, we’re installing communal WiFi, so that our customers can easily access the internet, and our range of online services. We’ve also bought laptops and tablets using funding from Hyde Charitable Trust (HCT), that customers can borrow and use safely. We’ve even provided training.

We met friends Susan and Barbara at St Mauritius House, our later life scheme in Lewisham. St Mauritius House has had WiFi since 2022, and tablets and laptops have been partly funded by Hyde Foundation. Residents have been making the most of the WiFi for everything from shopping to keeping in touch with friends. They’re now discovering the advantages of using MyAccount and Susan wants to convince Barbara of the benefits and how easy it is to use.

Barbara is one of our many customers who prefers calling and talking to our Customer Services team. Susan is an avid user of MyAccount and regularly logs in to try out the new features:

• Barbara: So, what do you use MyAccount for?
• Susan: I use MyAccount to check my rent balance. You can see if payments have gone in, and see all the transactions.
• Barbara: Oh that’s good, I just tend to call up Customer Services. The people I speak to are helpful, but sometimes you do have to wait a long time.
• Susan: I use it report faults too.
• Barbara: Oh, it can be used for that?
• Susan: Yes. Since I’ve started using MyAccount, I find it very easy. Any repairs you need, you just log in and report them.
• Barbara: Oh good. And how do you know that they’ve received your requests or reports?
• Susan: It says when it has been received, and it gives you your case number.
• Barbara: So, if I needed to report that my bathroom light is broken?
• Susan: Yes, it’s here on MyAccount in the options that you can choose, and it asks you follow up questions. Then you simply select the time that you want Hyde to visit to carry out the repair. MyAccount asks the questions, gives you tips and tells you what to do. It’s very simple. It’s a quicker way to get a problem solved. You don’t have to phone - you can get there directly.
• Barbara: Have you booked a repair recently?
• Susan: Yes, I’m waiting for somebody to come and look at the drains. I reported that here. They were meant to be here by now. If they’re not here tonight, I’ll report it on MyAccount too.
• Barbara: What do you mean? Report that they’ve not arrived when they said they would?
• Susan: Yes, I can go into MyAccount and let Hyde know right away. I can tell them what’s happened, and I can make a formal complaint if I think the service is bad. Next time you need to, let’s do it together and I’ll show you.
• Barbara: Well, I can borrow the tablet and I’ll let you know. How do you get to the MyAccount page?
• Susan: It’s here on the Hyde website page. It says, ‘Welcome to MyAccount’. You can go to the website and log in. I have the page saved.
• Barbara: Ok we’ll give it a go.
• Susan: Once you start using it regularly, you’ll find it more interesting and you’ll love it. I love working on the computer, I’m on it all the time.

Hyde Scheme Officer, Titilope Adeleye said: “It’s been great seeing older residents receive training from Hyde and getting online. As well as seeing how easy MyAccount is to use, residents enjoy everything from shopping, to keeping in touch with family – they're even learning to use social media. Watch this space – our residents will be influencers soon!”

More features will continue to be added to MyAccount. We’re always working to make improvements and to make it more efficient and easier to use.