Uncovering the New Rise of PropTech in London’s Social Housing – Surveillance, Justice and Green Futures

UROP critically investigates the growing role of PropTech in London’s social housing sector. As digital technologies—from smart thermostats to data-driven tenant monitoring—become central to climate adaptation strategies, they are often promoted as win-win solutions for landlords and residents. Yet these tools may also introduce new forms of surveillance, deepen social inequalities, and undermine tenants’ rights.The project explores how PropTech is reshaping social housing both in discourse and in practice. It asks three core questions: (1) Do dominant visions of smart, sustainable housing obscure concerns around affordability and housing justice? (2) What types of PropTech are being implemented by public and private actors, and how do they affect governance and everyday life in social housing? (3) What legal and policy responses are emerging to address risks related to surveillance, data governance, and tenant protections?Hosted at King’s College London in collaboration with local authorities and civil society groups, UROP combines ethnographic research, policy analysis, and critical mapping to produce new cutting-edge knowledge that shapes public debate and supports fairer, more accountable digital transitions in urban housing.