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9. IT-Related Improvements
Every local authority interviewed expressed concerns over various aspects of the current IT system and almost all suggested improvements or areas for further investigation.
9.1 Administrative Tools
A clear issue with most local authorities has been the realisation that the landlord registration IT system was not designed to be an administrative tool and that processes to deal with the administrative tasks would require to be created internally. This has resulted in inconsistent practice across authorities. In the main, authorities have compiled a series of spreadsheets or access databases to record and monitor the application and, to an extent, the enforcement process.
Good Practice Recommendation
The Scottish Government should invest in improving the reporting and tracking mechanisms and outputs from the IT system. This would include assigning appropriate flags to the system so that authorities can easily track progress. Local authorities should have effective job monitoring and recording mechanisms in place to track the progress of applications and the status of registrations for enforcement purposes. This is also essential in planning for future workload, staff and resources.
Local authorities also need to work closely with their own IT system suppliers to ensure that local IT processes dovetail with the system. For example, if local authorities used Access then interrogating the online system and downloading information from it would be easier.
Good Practice Examples
North Lanarkshire Council has used standard job tracking software, which is available on the most up-to-date Housing systems, to create a detailed tracking and monitoring system for Landlord Registration. Please refer to Appendix A for a detailed description.
Falkirk Council is currently following the North Lanarkshire example and is considering using CIVICA (software purchased for tracking antisocial behaviour) as this will provide job tracking and monitoring facilities and will link easily to other departments within the authority. In the meantime, they have created a series of spreadsheets to monitor progress which are available as templates for other authorities to adapt.
Highland Council has devised a database system using Access to track confirmation letters and invoices. It produces a cumulative log for each application as to when confirmation letters are generated and records when. It also enables the Council to identify applications for which invoices are requested, paid or are outstanding. Both databases draw data directly from the CSV file downloads which are first converted to Excel then linked to the access database, where queries and reports for administrative tasks can be run. This facility can also be used as a data source for mail merge purposes.
9.2 Reporting Functions
It is clear that downloading and manipulating information generated by the landlord registration IT system is often time-consuming and resource intensive. An Access database facility has been provided as part of the system's reporting facility. However, very few authorities have either the internal IT support or the skills and knowledge within the team to make full use of this function.
Of those interviewed, the City of Edinburgh Council found that using the Access database beneficial and therefore does not rely on the end of day files. However, Edinburgh has had the benefit of dedicated IT support internally to build software systems and deal with errors in the system in-house. This has been expensive and also time consuming. A large proportion of time has been spent on sorting IT problems and not taking registration forward. Due to the volume of applications received in this authority however it has been viewed as an important investment to monitor and track applications.
However, other authorities, for example East Lothian Council and Comhairle nan Eileen Siar have reported that the current Access tables are complicated and difficult to manipulate. It has also been reported that headings are not consistent in each set of tables. Therefore authorities have recommended that the tables used as part of the Access download should be reviewed.
Dumfries & Galloway Council stated that it has had compatibility issues with the current online system and Windows XP and is therefore downloading reports into a version of Windows 97. Therefore it has two different drives operating in order to access information.
Good Practice Recommendation
There is a requirement for improved reporting mechanisms or tools to manipulate the current IT system. An Access facility has been provided by the Scottish Government and funding was provided to ensure this interface was working. However this is being used successfully by very few authorities.
It is important that all authorities have access to the same information and in a format that is easily interrogated and available to all. The Access facility should be utilised where possible and those authorities successfully using it should share their experiences locally.
9.3 Identifying Landlord's Status on the Register
Linked to the facility to track applications and landlord records on the register, many authorities suggested improvements to clearly identify a landlord's status on the system. These include:
- improving the statuses used on the system to more closely reflect the stage at which a registration is at, e.g. 'awaiting payment'.
- amending the system so that is does not show an application as being 'valid' if no payment has been received;
- having an identifier on the system to show applications made on paper and those made online;
- improving the way in which changes to an application are reported, e.g. identifying if a property, agent or owner has been added or removed so that it can easily be determined if further documentation or action is required; and
- address the interaction of applications between authorities so that the lead status in one authority isn't automatically changed if the status changes in another.
9.4 Improving the Online Application Form
Local authorities have suggested a number of improvements to the online system to make it more user friendly. These include:
- providing clear guidance to users on how the online system operates. This includes clearer signposting of help notes so that users know to contact their local authority if necessary;
- including an identifier on the public register system for those landlords that are accredited, HMO license holders or have been de-registered;.
- allow lead owners to input details for any joint owners and revise the current guidance so that users are aware of the need to fully complete joint owner details;
- create the facility to ensure required information is mandatory. For example registration should not be possible without a home address and date of birth; and
- making the provision of a telephone number and email address mandatory.
Good Practice Recommendations
It is valid to say that any online system or process should be as simple as possible for both the general public and officers within the local authority. It is important therefore to consider a review of the online application process from the three main user groups i.e. landlords/agents, the general public and local authority officers.
9.5 Improving Payment Functions
A number of improvements have been suggested in relation to online payment methods. These include:
- allowing payment by credit card;
- providing a facility whereby a receipt or proof of payment can be printed for business purposes; and
- addressing faults on the system e.g. auto deleting any failed payment and blank purchase IDs.
Good Practice Recommendations
It is our recommendation that payment facilities on the IT system are extended to reflect standard business practice and should therefore include credit cards, BACs transfer etc.
The IT system should have the facility to print receipts and this should be highlighted to applicants.
The IT system should also be reviewed in relation to the creation of blank purchaser IDs.
9.6 Address Software
Local authorities have reported that there are major issues relating to the address software used as part of the online system. These are:
- addresses do not match the local authorities' corporate gazetteer;
- new properties are missing;
- flat numbers are in the wrong format;
- house names require to be added;
- Gaelic addresses are not recognised;
- the more remote and rural the area the more addresses are missing
- where property was previously associated with a business, it is difficult to disassociate this from the address; and the
- public search function does not locate amended addresses.
Good Practice Recommendation
It is our recommendation that the address software is updated.
It is also recommended that the online system clearly notifies landlords to contact the authority if the property address is not on the system or requires amending, to avoid further frustration and the registering of the wrong property.
9.7 System Generated Letters
9.7.1 Suppressing Documentation
Due to the confirmation letter stage being added as part of the IT process, the system generates a great deal of paper. It is ironic that an IT system designed to streamline processes and reduce bureaucracy, has achieved the opposite. In addition, it appears that the system generates confirmation letters where any type of amendment is made to a landlord's records and these are also generated in all other local authorities. As the end of day report does not detail why another confirmation letter has been generated, authorities are required to check thoroughly all letters generated for relevancy.
Good Practice Recommendation
The system should have the ability to suppress unnecessary documentation. For example, if a landlord has confirmed in person or already put in writing the changes to be made to their records a letter may be unnecessary. With regards to confirmation letters, as recommended in Section 4.3 above, these should only be issued where a landlord or agent is pending review due to concerns with their application/registration.
9.7.2 Adapting Standard Documentation
Another common concern from authorities is that standard documents produced by the system, are not always appropriate and require to be adapted. There are issues around applying authorities' corporate standards and standard letters failing to reflect the changes or amendments made to a file.
Good Practice Recommendation
The system should indicate to an authority the type of letter required to be issued and the authority should create their own template letters for every stage in the application, payment and enforcement process, complete with their own corporate standards, to be adapted to suit specific circumstances. As each local authority operates to their own local processes it is unrealistic for them to have the same documentation. It is suggested however that local authorities share and adapt each others letters where this is appropriate.
9.8 Renewal Stage
A number of authorities reported concerns on how the renewal of landlord registration will be managed online. It is recommended that authorities are consulted with closely on the renewal process to ensure that the IT system meets their needs.
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