The Development Value for Money (DVfM) Tool provides data insights and benchmarking of cost, time and quality indicators at project level for new build social housing developments. This will allow developing landlords to compare performance against their peers, learn from best practice across the sector and provide an opportunity to better understand the extent to which new build development is meeting the needs and aspirations of their tenants.

The DVfM Tool has two components. The first component is an easy-to-complete collection tool that gathers data on cost and time for each project, while the second component is a standard set of Tenant Satisfaction questions for new tenants touching on issues including design elements of the home, workmanship, comfort and safety.

SHN will provide both quarterly KPI reporting, and an in-depth annual analysis of all project data received, a key component of which will be benchmarking. Annual reporting will also look at trend data, identify areas for improvement across the sector and highlight examples of best practice. All reporting will be anonymised.

Participating landlords will also be invited to attend an annual forum, and this will be a space for landlords to discuss the challenges they have encountered, seek solutions and to share best practice. This landlord-only event will facilitate the rich discussions and learning needed to support continuous improvement.

By reviewing tenant satisfaction indicators alongside cost and time indicators, this Tool will give landlords far greater insight into the value for money of their development programmes. This aggregated project level data will provide a robust, evidence-based assessment of the value for money within Scotland’s affordable homes supply programme.

Andrea Finkel-Gates, CEO, said: “Scotland is leading the way in the development of social homes in the United Kingdom, and I am delighted that we can play our part in supporting landlords to understand the value for money that their development projects are offering. Our tool has been developed in co-production with SHN members exclusively for Scottish social landlords and will use our tried and tested practice exchange and collaborative approach to continuous improvement.”

The tool is available now at no additional cost to SHN members, and all outputs – including reporting and forum attendance - will remain free to our members as a benefit of membership. The service will be offered to non-members for an additional annual fee in due course, to support the sector in meeting the requirements of Scottish Government’s Continuous Improvement Programme within the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.