Jenny Tate and Helen Barton spoke about the challenge of managing an allocations policy that balances the needs of many different customer groups. They discussed the implications of ‘open’ waiting lists, the duty to house, and changes in eligibility criteria.

National research completed by Craigforth found that landlords face three main tensions when allocating housing. These are: prioritising individual housing needs; achieving balanced communities; and ensuring allocation policies reflect the wider agenda of the Government.

Recommendations from the research included the need for the Government to clarify the scope of local decision making and provide guidance for the types of evidence landlords must show to justify their allocations policies.

Helen Barton of Albyn Housing Association expanded on Jenny’s presentation to provide practical examples of how allocations work in the North-east of Scotland. Albyn faces high levels of RTB sales, a shortfall of affordable homes, high rates of homelessness application and an increasing proportion of priority need households. This situation results in conflict between the needs of communities, applicants, and the pressures imposed by legislative changes.

They have responded to these challenges in one area by engaging with the local community to devise a local lettings scheme that reflects the needs of the local community. She argued that this will enable the community to remain sustainable and self sufficient. The success of such schemes hinges on the balancing of expectation, robust identified needs and a structure of accountability.