Value Based Lettings
Anna Fryer: Director of Interventions
Richard Barker: ICT Manager
Who we are …
Formed in 2003 (as Bradford Community Housing Trust) following
a stock transfer from Bradford Council.
Based in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
21,500 rented homes
1,000 leasehold properties
Workforce of over 1250 staff and a turnover of £88 million.
Our Vision and strategic direction is focused on
‘Improving lives Incommunities’
Allocations, Lettings & Homelessness Conference: Nov 2014
Why Change?
We believe that communities should be great places to live, where people enjoy their lives
Where they live, learn, work, and socialise with their neighbours in harmony
Where they’re proud of, not just their own homes, but their whole community
We believe that they are places where everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential
Allocations, Lettings & Homelessness Conference: Nov 2014
Choice Based Lettings
CBL was introduced in Bradford in 2002 in partnership
with Bradford District Council
Part of the national Pilot project
District Allocations Policy
Worked for us at a time of high demand
Need to change?
Why change now?
Increase in Turnover
Why systems thinking?
Taking a customer perspective
Clarity of purpose in customer terms
Measuring what matters to your customer
Consider the whole system
Understand Demand and flow
Process of ‘Check’
Establish our Purpose
“Help me find a suitable home when I need it”
Understand demand, level and proportion of value and
failure
Measure outcomes and follow customer journey
Measuring What Matters What is a demand; who places it & how do they do
this?
Failure Demand: Failure to do something, or do something right for the customer
Value Demand: A demand we want – what we are here for:
I need help / advice
I’d like to give additional information
I need to register for a home
I can’t use your system
What’s happening with my application
I’ve come back because you’ve told me to
I’ve come back for Temporary Accommodation
Understanding Demand Allocations
As many resources needed to
meet failure demand as value!
No of
Demands%
1598 53.4%
1395 46.6%
Value 1377 55.2%
Failure 1119 44.8%
Value 275 30.5%
Failure 626 69.5%
Value 275 30.5%
Failure 626 69.5%
Value 43 100.0%
Failure 0 0.0%
Telephone
In Person
CBL
Website
DemandType
Value
Failure
Referrals
Value 3315 50.9%
Failure 3203 49.1%
Data collected from week commencing 16th May 2011 – 26th June 2011
Understanding Demand: Housing Options Service
Data collected from week commencing 16th May 2011 – 26th June 2011
1645 25%
639 10%
485 8%
My Home Application 395 6%
My options advice 121 2%I'd like to give you additional information for
I need help/advice
I need more/some information
I need to register on Homes
My homes application 461 7%
Options advice 189 3%
409 6%
1912 30%
171 3%
48 1%
I've come back for temporary accommodation
I've been referred from another agency
What's happening with:
I've come back because you told me to
I can't use your system
Value 3285 50.70%
Failure 3190 49.30%
Understanding Demand: Choice Based Lettings Demand
Data collected from week commencing 16th May 2011 – 26th June 2011
I can't use your system 1912 52%
What's happening with my homes application 461 13%
I've come back because you told me to 409 11%
I need to register on homes 485 13%
I'd like to give you additional information for my homes application 395 11%
Total Value 880 24%
Total Failure 2782 76%
Consider the Whole System Average Time from Application to Rehouse
Consider the whole system
Customer
Check
Diary
Turn up for
appointment
Options
Interview
If Successful
invited for viewing CBL
Registration
Fill footfall form in
–Return to
reception
Appointment
Made
Once Active
– Place Bid
Assisted Bidding
Close Case
Input into IBS
Complete relevant
screens
If Offer Accepted
Copy &
Paste all
case notes
Place on file
T.A.
16%
Look for suitable
Accommodation
TL Checks
& OK’s
Recommendation Action to TL
Bond
Scheme /
Savehaven
Homeless
Assessment
Input comprehensive
case notes
Input comprehensive
homeless case notes
Copy & Paste all
case notes & Print
Copy & Paste advice
notes to Homeless Ass
70% 30%
Ring Hostel to check
availability
Ring B&B to
reserve place
Complete
HB Form &
attachment
Verify Income
eligibility
Email TL daily with IBS
No & reason for
(re)booking
Raise BMDC PO
& fax to B&B
Photocopy all
forms for file
Daily
representation
Not Offered / suitable
If none TL Authorisation
Move from bid system to
matching system
What we had learned:
Customers couldn’t use the system
There was little demand for some properties, but advice given was as if
all in high demand
Low percentage of lettings to customers in priority need
The list did not equal housing demand, no data to inform strategy
Bid system, but still going to 5th customer to get letting
Questionable outcomes for sustainability of tenancies and turnover high
Developing a New Approach
for the district
Partnership
Updated:
Policy
Nominations
Agreement
Application
Property
Type
Location
Time
Frame
Re-design: Value Based Lettings
Waiting List Statutory Need
Urgent Need
Reasonable Preference
General Need
Property Shop
Mutual Exchange
Property Void: Incommunities
Accent
Your Housing Group
Yorkshire
Places for People
Manningham
Home Group
Jephson
Anchor
Re-design: Value Based Lettings
Value Based Lettings
(VBL)
What are my chances and will the tenancy work?
Effective use of resources Mutual Exchange
Nomination agreements
Outcomes?
Sustainable Tenancies
Demand
Reduction in turnover
Demonstration
Value Based Lettings VBL
Demand In Bradford
From 22,000 on list to 6,500 migration onto VBL
12,420 Applications Registered on VBL
Demand In Bradford
Average time to rehouse: 1 month for priority cases
and 3 months for general needs
Customers state will wait for 9 months, reality is 3
1759 people have left the list and we have rehoused
1388, ratio of 5:4
Evidence of good demand in some areas and some
property types and visa versa- vital strategic
information
A New Approach
Choice Based Lettings
1 week cycle
Difficult application form
Unsure of waiting time
Unsure if stock exists
Length of time bid
process
Multiple applications
Waiting time for validation
No flexibility
Value Based Lettings
Instant Matches
Supported process
Likelihoods of availability
Stock availability
Informed choice for
customers
No multi viewings
Customers values
matched
Core Benefits
What’s my chances and housing options
Considered match and tenancy sustainment
Understanding of demand
No annual review required
No allocations system can deal with under/over
supply