Case Study

Barrhead Housing Association - HomeMaster

Barrhead Housing left QL behind for a cloud-based SaaS platform—and the results speak for themselves.

The migration demonstrates how SaaS can transform on-premise systems into agile, efficient solutions.

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Savings: time and cost

HomeMaster eliminated multiple systems and manual spreadsheets, delivering measurable cost savings and freeing staff time for higher-value tasks..
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Better use of resources

Automated processes for gas servicing, arrears management, and asset management reduced manual effort and improved accuracy across operations.
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Integrated finance

Finance functions such as invoice approvals and payment uploads were streamlined, cutting complexity and ensuring faster, more reliable transactions.
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Usability & adoption

An intuitive interface and consistent logic meant staff could learn the system quickly—most were confident within days, not months.
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“HomeMaster is so intuitive. If you understand one part, you can apply the same logic across the system.” 



Lauren Rice

Director of Finance and Corporate Services

Business Challenge

Barrhead Housing Association is a community-focused social landlord based in Glasgow, Scotland. In August 2024.

Faced with rising costs and inefficiencies from maintaining outdated on-premise servers for their legacy QL system, Barrhead Housing Association needed a more modern solution. In August 2024, they made the strategic decision to transition to Aareon HomeMaster, a cloud-based housing management system, enabling greater efficiency and better support for their operations and tenants.

 “We had to decide: invest in on-premise servers and keep working with QL, or look for a SaaS system. HomeMaster offered the modern efficiencies we needed.” 

– Lauren Rice,  Director of Finance and Corporate Services 

Why HomeMaster?

 

Barrhead selected HomeMaster because it delivered tangible benefits that aligned with their operational goals:

 

  • Ease of Use: A modern, intuitive interface that staff could master in days, reducing training time and improving adoption.
  • Integrated Functionality: Consolidated modules for housing management, finance, and tenant engagement, eliminating the need for multiple systems.
  • Workflow Automation: Automated processes for tasks like gas servicing and arrears management, cutting manual effort and errors.
  • Real-Time Oversight: Dashboards and quick-access tiles provided instant visibility into key metrics and cases.
  • Operational Efficiency: Significant time savings through streamlined invoice approvals, payment uploads, and reduced reliance on spreadsheets.
  • Strong Support: A responsive, proactive support team and clear implementation plan ensured a smooth transition.
  • Future-Ready Platform: Cloud-based architecture positioned Barrhead for scalability and ongoing innovation.

 

Smooth Implementation

Barrhead's move to HomeMaster was delivered through a structured, collaborative process that ensured a smooth transition:

 

Project Delivery

  • Clear Roadmap: A detailed project plan with defined milestones kept everyone aligned and on schedule.
  • Data Migration: Legacy QL data was successfully migrated, ensuring accuracy and continuity across housing and finance records.
  • User Adoption: Staff adapted quickly thanks to intuitive system design and focused training sessions, reducing onboarding time to just a few days.
  • Go-Live Success: Barrhead went live within seven months, meeting deadlines and achieving operational readiness without major issues.

Dedicated Support

  • Proactive Communication: Regular check-ins and updates from the Aareon team provided reassurance and transparency throughout the project.
  • Responsive Helpdesk: Quick, helpful responses to queries ensured confidence and minimised disruption during implementation. "The support desk was brilliant, quick to respond and always helpful".
  • Post-Launch Partnership: Continued engagement after go-live helped Barrhead optimise HomeMaster. "Really can't speak highly enough of the support desk at home master."

"HomeMaster really guided us through the whole implementation. We got the impression that they had a really tried and tested approach for the implementation, so it was like following a recipe.” 

– Lauren Rice,  Director of Finance and Corporate Services 

Seven Months to Success

Since going live, Barrhead have:

 

  • An Integrated SaaS Platform: Housing, finance, and tenant engagement combined in one system, removing the need for multiple tools and delivering cost savings.
  • Automated Processes: Gas servicing and asset management workflows streamlined to reduce manual effort.
  • Faster Case Management: Arrears wizard and quick job creation improved speed and accuracy.
  • Real-Time Oversight: Dashboards and quick-access tiles provided instant visibility for staff.
  • Finance Efficiency: Invoice approvals and payment uploads simplified, reducing reliance on spreadsheets.
  • Strong Support: Proactive helpdesk and clear project communication ensured confidence post-launch.

 

Barrhead’s journey from QL to HomeMaster demonstrates how housing associations can modernise quickly and effectively. With intuitive tools, integrated modules, and outstanding support, HomeMaster is helping organisations work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

 

"The project was really very successful from start to finish and when we went live, people were using the system straight away.”

– Lauren Rice,  Director of Finance and Corporate Services 

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