Better homes for more people: literature review and data analysis for vacancy chain lettings

Project summary

Curo has requested help with three projects which are interconnected but can be undertaken independently. They all work to lay the groundwork for getting more tenants into suitable properties, by transforming the way Curo manages moves between properties.

The projects may be undertaken by different volunteers, by a group working together or by one person with a lot of time. The details of time commitment and how the different parts of the work will be coordinated will be managed by Curo.

How will this project benefit the organisation?  

The ultimate aim is to transform the management of housing stock to get the most efficient and effective use of it. Success at the end of these projects is that there is sufficient learning from what has been done elsewhere, and understanding of/access to the necessary data, for the modelling and decision-support proof-of-concept to go ahead.

Apply

If you feel you can offer your assistance, please complete the application form by Monday 5 February 2024. 

Please ensure you indicate which of Curo's projects you are applying for in your application.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities.

Project description

Curo has a wide variety of property types and many tenants are in properties that are not suitable for their needs and are awaiting a move. At present, if a property becomes vacant, it is offered to all those on the waiting list and is allocated to the most suitable; the resulting vacancy is then offered and allocated; and so on. Curo wants to explore the possibility of “vacancy chain letting”, where one vacancy triggers a coordinated sequence of moves.

The work is divided into three parts which will provide the groundwork for subsequent modelling, planned to be addressed through MSc student projects organised by the University of Bath:

Project 1: to review the literature about vacancy chains in housing, and discuss Curo's context, in order to understand which processes would be necessary if the vacancy chain model were implemented in practice. Considerations include:

• what sort of technical decision support would be needed in order to enable implementation,
• when a tenant moves (that is, how would Curo identify the possible vacancy chains, and choose between them),
• what factors would need to be costed in,
• what is the potential benefit, to get some indication of whether the benefits might outweigh the costs,
• what are the risks,
• what are the follow-up options,
• what is the time-period.

Project 2: data for vacancy chain: understand what data would be needed about each property and about each tenant, in order to construct a feasible vacancy chain. Review what data Curo has; assess how Curo's data can best be accessed, structured and used in the event of wanting to go ahead with the vacancy chain analysis. Finally, propose how to deal with data gaps.

This is the data that would be necessary to operationalise effective vacancy chain letting.

Project 3: data generally: quantify and visualise information like:

• how long do most tenants stay in the same accommodation,
• does this vary by type of accommodation, type of tenant, postcode, age, other demographic characteristics,
• how long are homes vacant between lettings, and what are the factors affecting that.

This is the data that would be necessary to understand management issues, such as cost benefit analysis, likelihood of different sorts of move being required, resourcing etc..

The skills required for these projects are “general analytical” and “data structures and analysis”; but social housing is a highly interconnected system, so a systems thinking approach is also helpful.

Location

Remote, although meeting in person will be welcomed if the volunteer lives in the Bath/Bristol area.

Time commitment

The projects may be undertaken by different volunteers, by a group working together or by one person with a lot of time. The details of time commitment and how the different parts of the work will be coordinated will be managed by Curo.

Desired start date

Introductory call with Curo on Friday 9 February, with project work to begin week commencing 19 February.

Desired end date

mid-May 2024, in time for student projects to begin.

About the organisation

For further information about Curo, please visit www.curo-group.co.uk

About Pro Bono OR

For further information about Pro Bono OR, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono or email [email protected]