Lister Housing Co-operative Ltd

co-operative ownership, leases/licences, inclusive board structure

Lister Housing Co-operative Ltd is the oldest housing co-operative in Scotland, providing affordable housing in central Edinburgh. As well as being a social landlord, as a housing co-operative its management is completely overseen by its tenants – the co-operative members.

Joining forces to prevent demolition of Georgian tenements

Lister’s main site consists principally of Georgian tenements in Edinburgh’s Old Town (around Lauriston Place) that were built in the 19th century. In the 1970s, the state of the buildings had deteriorated. They were bought up by the Lister Trust, and management of the Trust was eventually taken over by the University of Edinburgh. When plans emerged to knock the flats down, long-standing residents, students and lecturers joined forces to successfully lobby the Council to stop the demolition and the loss of housing. Lister tenants then formed a housing co-operative which was able to take ownership of and start making improvements to the buildings, through accessing funding made available by the Government under the 1974 Housing Act.

During the 1980s and 1990s the co-operative expanded its activities with adjacent housing projects. The cooperative now owns 185 properties that provide homes to almost 400 people. Most flats are allocated through EdIndex, the Edinburgh common housing register for social housing, except for ‘multi’ flats – shared housing for single people, where four or six single people share a larger flat, each with their own tenancy.

Co-operative governance: social housing that is managed by tenants for tenants

When a cooperative is a landlord of a housing asset, and the tenants are members of the cooperative, it is known as a fully mutual cooperative. Fully mutual housing cooperatives are a type of social landlord. They must be listed on the Register of Social Landlords, and they are regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator. Lister is a registered society – a legal entity under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, that is also regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Lister is also a social enterprise – a not-for-profit business with a clear purpose to provide good quality social rented housing for those in housing need. The co-operative’s vision is supported by strong values:

• Fairness – treating everyone fairly and without prejudice.
• Equality – being open and accessible for people from all backgrounds and circumstances.
• Honesty – being clear and avoiding untruths or false promises.
• Integrity and Trust – following through on any commitments and undertakings.

Lister Housing Co-op is run by a Management Committee made up entirely of tenants. Committee members are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). New members can also join at other times of the year if the Committee agrees. The Committee has the power to co-opt non-tenants to the Committee but to date it has never used this power. There must be a minimum of 7 people on the Committee and a maximum of 15 people. A Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer are elected by the Committee after the AGM. The Management Committee is responsible for providing strategic oversight of the organisation, budget and risk management, decisions on rents, oversight and responsibility for accounts, liaising with auditors and approving any policy changes.

All tenants are consulted in writing on key matters, including rent increases and changes to the lay-out of the Lister area. For example, affected tenants were recently consulted on what types of trees should be planted in front of the tenements. The co-operative also has a local office that allows tenants to bring any concerns directly to members of staff. Every three years, the co-operative runs a tenants’ satisfaction survey.

“All kinds of social housing provide access to affordable housing. What sets us apart is that the co-operative model gives people the opportunity to be in charge of their own destiny. Tenants value our independence and this form of local self-control.” – John Rankin, Chief Executive Officer

Conservation of historic assets and provision of affordable housing

Celebrating its 50th birthday next year, Lister Housing Co-op has generated and retained significant public and community value. Intervention by residents and local supporters in the 1970s and 1980s has prevented the loss of key assets in what has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The co-operative has managed to save enough to pay all its loans, meaning not only that it owns its properties outright, but also that it does not require to service debts. The vast majority of income is derived from social housing rents, with a smaller proportion coming from interest on savings, commercial property rents from a local business which rents out one of Lister’s properties, and also occasional grant funding. Lister’s income also covers the salaries of four staff members at 3.59 FTE. Surplus funds have been reinvested into making improvements to the buildings and environment. The co-operative is currently working with the Edinburgh World Heritage and partner organisations on an energy efficiency project to create a model for retrofitting properties, creating environmental benefits alongside cost-savings for tenants.

Importantly, in a city where private rent prices were an average £1,400/month in 2024 (an annual increase of 11.9% compared to 2023), the co-operative is able to provide affordable social housing in the very heart of Edinburgh. Rents in 2024-25 varied between £315-510 per month, with an overall average of £409 per month. Some common stairs also have a small service charge.