Tower Hamlets

1
Tower Hamlets Common Housing Register with a
Common Allocations Policy
East London Housing Partnership 18th July 2008
2
Welcome Introductions

• Rafiqul Hoque Lettings Services Manager,
  Housing Lettings, Tower Hamlets Homes
• Helen Day Southern Housing Group,
• Thames Gateway Region Lettings Manager

3
Current Position

• Tower Hamlets Council has now created an ALMO
  Tower Hamlets Homes which
• commenced on the 7th July 2008
• Tower Hamlets Homes now administers the Common
  Housing Register on behalf of the Council
• Strategic Role of formulating Policy still
  remains with the Council

4
What is a Common Housing Register ?

• The same assessment system being applied to all
  applications for rehousing in all social housing
  in a Local Authority area
• All matching to properties is from the one
  housing list a single application process for
  residents
• Applicants can be considered for housing by a
  wide range of landlords

5
What is a Common Allocations Policy?

• The same matching criteria being applied to all
  properties let by a partnership of landlords,
  whichever partner landlord owns the property

6
Tower Hamlets How does the Common
Housing Register and Allocations Policy work?

• CHR set up in 2002 when CBL was introduced
• Currently 11 RSL partners plus the Council
• Able to give each partner access to the
  information and communication technology (ICT)
  system so that, when allied to a choice-based
  lettings scheme, all advertisements and
  shortlists are completed by the advertising
  partner
• Operated through a single assessment system
  reflecting the priorities of, and with the same
  assessment for extenuating moves for the tenants
  of, all the landlords involved to ensure a
  consistent, fair and transparent process
• Assessing all requests on medical grounds through
  a single medical assessment agency, or process

7
Benefits for applicants

• Greater simplicity by standardising forms and
  processes
• Maximising the opportunities for moves between
  landlords and across tenures
• Giving reassurance where applicants know that a
  landlord is working in partnership with the
  Council and other RSLs, they have greater
  confidence in the organisation as their potential
  landlord
• Greater mobility as RSLs can advertise
  properties outside the LA area where the CHR is
  operating
• Improving fairness for applicants helping those
  with mobility, language, lifestyle or health
  issues to access the full range of housing
  options through a single route.

8
Benefits for the Local Authority

• Identifying housing needs reduces the risk of
  double counting and aids the analysis of housing
  needs in the area
• Maximising the sharing of best practice and
  increasing accountability through joint
  monitoring
• Development of re-housing plans the CHR can
  help monitor partners and aid tracking of
  lettings performance
• Allowing all partners a more strategic
  perspective and role in the area

9
Benefits for the Local Authority (continued)

• Making administrative savings by sharing costs
  in the management of the register. In particular,
  this can include
• Faster void turnaround
• More cost-effective monitoring of lettings
  performance by the participating organisations
• Reduction in duplicated processes

10
Benefits for RSLs

• Partnership will allow a more strategic role in
  the area.
• Securing relationships with the Council and other
  RSLs
• Speed up nomination procedures
• Maximising the use of landlords existing ICT
• Increase efficiency the possibility exists for
  RSLs to relieve themselves of the management of a
  separate waiting list
• Equal access to more vacancies creating greater
  mobility
• Policy changes (CAP), IT development,
  standardising forms - all by the LA - saving costs

11
Downside of CHR for RSL

• RSLs working across a number of LAs confusion
  for staff due to a number of CHR and CAP.
• Flexibility RSLs with CHR and CAP are not able
  to change Policy without the agreement of the LA
  and other partners

12
Downside of CHR for LA

• How do the LA ensure that the allocation
  decisions are fair for shortlists by RSL partners
• How do the LA ensure that the assessment for
  applicants by RSL partners is fair and consistent
• Policy decisions that are challenged by
  applicants are against the CAP, so the LA are
  responsible for answering these challenges

13
Downside of CHR for Applicants

• CAP and CHR creates greater competition for
  applicants more applicants fighting for
  properties

14
Costs to LA and RSL

• Minimum costs to both RSL and LA which can be
  outlined in a Service Level Agreement and would
  include the application management, medical
  processes, adverts, IT, printing and publications
• RSLs may find lots of CHRs expensive if they
  work across a number of LAs do not always have
  a choice to join or not

15
Future Challenges for Housing Associations

• Where are we now?
• Commitment to improve and enhance customer
  service
• Challenge of operating across a number of Local
  Authorities
• Need to use sensitive lettings within CBL
• Need to abandon old practices and out of date
  ideas
• Sub-Regional agenda
• Capital Moves is being reviewed and a more
  flexible approach will be needed so that we
  make most efficient use of existing local and
  sub-regional systems