Scottish Government

Introduction: Common Housing Registers in Scotland

The concept of a Common Housing Register ( CHR) is simple - it aims to create a single route through which all those seeking social housing can apply; a single database of applicant details; and co-ordinated housing information and advice provision. In Scotland, the focus has largely been on developing these joint arrangements at a local authority level, with social housing providers in each local authority area working together to develop a CHR for their area.

The development of CHRs has been driven by a range of different factors, including the realisation by many landlords that CHRs have potential benefits to applicants, the requirements of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and the expectations of Communities Scotland as regulator that landlords work with others to widen access to their housing. Development has also been facilitated by funding provided by the Scottish Executive through both the Modernising Government Fund and the dedicated CHR Development Programme 2004/06.

The reality of translating concept into practice and bringing a number of landlords together to agree shared procedures for accepting and processing housing applications does require dedication of time and effort to ensure effective joint working arrangements. In recognition of this, the Scottish Executive established a CHR Support Team responsible for producing guidance and providing support to those involved in CHR development across the country.

Guidance developed to date includes a CHR Guide for Practitioners which provides guidance on each stage of CHR development, a series of CHR factsheets and newsletters, and a variety of research reports. For a full list of relevant guidance please see Appendix One.

About this resource

This resource aims to build on existing guidance through providing practical examples of CHR development and operation. It includes ten case studies of CHRs in Scotland - both those which are already in operation, and those planning towards the introduction of a CHR. The case studies were carefully selected to include areas with a range of different characteristics - including a mix of urban and rural areas, large and small CHR partnerships, and areas where local authority stock transfer has occurred or is in progress. Most importantly, the case studies include a wide variety of CHR models.

The case studies set out progress with CHR development to date and the experiences of partner organisations. Based on these experiences, a final chapter has been produced which highlights a number of key themes and lessons learned from CHR development in Scotland.

Using this resource

The ten case studies within this resource tell the story of how each CHR has developed - including establishing initial relationships, developing a CHR model and (where appropriate) the launch and management of the CHR. As such, the case studies can be read in isolation - for example if you are particularly interested in development in one area.

Each case study also follows a broadly similar format, meaning that if you are particularly interested in one element of the CHR model - for example ICT arrangements or housing information and advice - you will find a section on each of these issues in each case study.

In recognition that you may not be able to read each of the case studies in detail, a final chapter has been developed which brings together the key themes and lessons learned from these case studies. This chapter also signposts you to particularly interesting elements within each of the case studies.

About the case studies

These case studies were developed between September and November 2005, with fieldwork predominantly taking place in October 2005. As a result, these case studies represent CHR development and operations at that time, providing a 'snapshot' of partner perceptions and experiences.

Clearly, CHRs in Scotland were at different stages of development when this research was undertaken. In some cases, partners had only discussed the principles of a CHR; in others initial development stages had begun; some were preparing for the launch of their CHR; and others were managing a CHR which had been operational for some time. As a result, partner perceptions and experiences vary substantially between each case study.

Naturally, discussions with partners tended to focus on the most recent or current issues relating to CHR development and operation. This meant that in some areas - particularly where CHR development began some time ago - the early stages of development were less clear in people's minds than more recent activities.

With relationships between partners naturally fluctuating at different stages of CHR development, this means that all of the case studies reflect the mood of the partnership at the point at which fieldwork was undertaken. Some case studies are therefore relatively positive, while others focus more on the challenges experienced at that particular point of time.

The development of these case studies involved interviews with CHR partners in each of these areas, and we would like to extend our thanks to everyone who took the time to participate in this study.