Trusted by Social Housing Providers: How BCP Homes Transformed their Access Control Systems with SALTO

BCP Homes, the council housing management services for Bournemouth and Poole, needed a more efficient and secure way to manage access across its estate. With a focus on improving safety, reducing operational overheads, and supporting incident investigations, they chose Salto Systems’ smart access control technology, which was fully delivered, installed and supported by TMB Systems – a platinum partner of SALTO.

BCP Homes

BCP Homes is the council housing service responsible for managing approximately 10,000 homes across Bournemouth and Poole, operating on behalf of BCP Council. BCP Homes functions as a social landlord, employing around 130 staff who are committed to delivering sustainable housing and excellent service to tenants and leaseholders. BCP Homes aligns with the Council’s strategic priorities by focusing on improving housing safety, preventing homelessness, and empowering communities to thrive in vibrant, inclusive neighbourhoods. To support these goals, BCP Homes adopted a smart access control solution from SALTO Systems.

SALTO

Salto Systems is a leading global provider of access solutions and a key part of the SALTO WECOSYSTEM. The company develops pioneering technologies in facility access, identity management, and electronic locking – delivering seamless, secure, and reliable experiences across diverse environments. At the heart of SALTO’s offering is its centrally controlled access control system, which allows users to unlock doors fitted with SALTO hardware using a fob instead of a traditional key. This system enables organisations to remotely manage and update door access permissions via SALTO’s software, enhancing flexibility and security.

For BCP Homes, this technology enables remote assignment and adjustment of job access and the ability to audit usage across properties – a feature that has proven valuable in supporting investigations into anti-social behaviour. The residential building in Bournemouth alone has over 1,050 SALTO door locks, demonstrating the system’s scalability and reliability.

Decision-Making and Selection

The decision to appoint a new access control partner was made by a small panel of five representatives from BCP’s Facilities Management and Procurement teams. The panel issued the tender, identifying a need for a specialist in SALTO systems. Previously, BCP Homes had worked with a generalist company that lacked the in-depth knowledge required to manage and support the SALTO system effectively. Having already completed several smaller projects for BCP Homes, TMB had demonstrated both their technical understanding of the system and their ability to recognise and respond to the organisation’s needs.

TMB’s Platinum Partner status with SALTO provided further assurance of their technical expertise and capability. Combined with their proven track record of delivering projects within agreed budgetary and time constraints, this made TMB a clear choice to support BCP Homes’ access control requirements.

Planning and Delivery

From the outset, TMB provided clear, well-organised information to support the tender process. While there is always a risk that contractors may overpromise, TMB’s delivery has consistently aligned with the proposals, building confidence throughout the project.

One of the most significant ongoing challenges BCP Homes faced with external contractors is the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with key staff members, such as housing managers. Poor communication in this area can quickly create operational difficulties across multiple levels of the organisation. BCP Homes have reported that TMB was selected not only for technical competence, but also for interpersonal skills. Housing managers have expressed appreciation for the TMB staff they work with, highlighting the high level of cooperation and flexibility shown on both sides. This positive working relationship ensures that tasks within sheltered housing schemes are completed promptly and with minimal disruption.

Training and Support

Since installation, TMB has worked closely with housing managers at BCP, offering practical advice and training on how to use the SALTO systems effectively. This hands-on approach enabled managers to carry out basic functions independently, reducing callouts and improving efficiency across sites.

About SALTO Space

The SALTO Space system forms the foundation of BCP Homes’ access control solution. Designed for multi-site management, SALTO Space allows centralised control of every door, user, and credential within a single, intuitive platform. Through this system, BCP Homes’ housing managers can easily issue or revoke fob access, monitor activity, and retrieve audit trails across their housing portfolio. The portal’s improved navigation and functionality make it simple to manage day-to-day operations while maintaining full oversight of site security. The scalability of SALTO Space means it can support extensive networks of doors and users while ensuring a seamless and reliable user experience.

System Improvements with SALTO

The introduction of the SALTO Space system has made it far easier for housing managers to navigate the system portal. Tasks such as reviewing audit trails and managing user access are now more straightforward. This improvement has directly supported BCP Homes’ goals of simplifying day-to-day operational processes.

Performance and Communication

Following implementation, BCP Homes’ contract management team have reported that there are now fewer callouts, fewer complaints, and happier housing managers and the contract can now be overseen with minimal oversight. TMB provides monthly updates summarising all completed work, ensuring full transparency without the need for continuous oversight. According to BCP Homes, direct involvement from senior management is now rarely required – a result of the strong working relationships and proactive communication established between TMB and BCP’s housing managers.

Outcomes and Benefits

Since installation, BCP Homes have reported clear, measurable improvements:

• Reduced callouts and complaints
• Greater staff satisfaction due to smoother collaboration and communication
• Lower administrative workload thanks to improved system usability and autonomy
• Financially, the switch from traditional keyed entry to SALTO’s smart access control has significantly reduced costs associated with cutting and managing keys.

For both staff and residents, the benefits of SALTO’s smart access solution include reduced disruption, enhanced security, and notable time and cost savings. BCP Homes have stated how it now “makes no sense to have anything other than a system like Salto on a sheltered housing scheme.”

The Upgrade

 

“I’m very grateful for the outstanding support TMB provide for the access control system installed across our estate of residential properties. Their team respond swiftly, diagnose the issues with precision, and resolve them within the prescribed SLAs (service level agreements) – minimising downtime and restoring full functionality. The professionalism and technical expertise they demonstrate is second to none. It’s reassuring to know I have a reliable partner such as TMB supporting my security infrastructure. Highly recommended for anyone seeking dependable and timely SALTO access control support.” –BCP Homes