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Places for People reveals plan to merge with 900-home landlord
Large housing association Places for People is in talks to merge with 900-home South West social landlord Elim Housing.
Places for People reveals plan to merge with 900-home landlord #UKhousingPlaces for People, which manages nearly 250,000 homes across England and Scotland, plans to team up with the Bristol and Gloucestershire-based provider, it was announced today (18 August).
If the plan goes ahead, following a consultation with customers and due diligence checks, Elim will become a subsidiary of Places for People by the end of the year.
The smaller provider said it would keep its name and brand at first, but would become a fully integrated part of Places for People within the next two years.
Elim’s website says the main reason it is considering the merger is a need for more investment in its homes and services.
“The current economic environment has made it increasingly difficult for us to achieve our ambitions alone,” a web page on the merger reads.
“The proposed merger will mean we can benefit from the greater resources which Places for People can provide. It will help us to improve the quality of your homes, build more new homes and improve services quicker than we can alone.”
Elim claimed that the move will be good for tenants, as it will make sure the provider’s repairs programme meets new standards, and move forward some delayed repair projects.
It also said there will be opportunities for tenants to get involved with running homes and improvements to the landlords’ services as a result of the merger.
Staff at the landlord will continue to work at the same offices, and tenancy agreements and rent and service charges will not be affected by the move, it added.
Greg Reed, group chief executive of Places for People, said: “Places for People is really pleased to have started merger discussions with Elim Housing.
“Both organisations have a proud history of supporting the City of Bristol and wider operating areas with the provision of social homes, as well as wider support such as homeless prevention.
“There is a great synergy in our missions and values as organisations and this relationship offers a really exciting opportunity for us to go further together.”
Paul Smith, chief executive of Elim Housing, said: “Elim is an ambitious organisation with aspirations to deliver high-quality homes and housing and support to a wide range of customers.
“We are proud of our history and the value we add to the areas where we work, delivering homes and specialist services that step up to meet community need.
“However, the current economic environment has made it increasingly difficult for us to achieve our ambitions. These ambitions include the improvement of our existing properties and the development of new projects.
“In order to strengthen and sustain the homes and services Elim provides, we considered the potential for Elim to merge with another organisation.”
Mr Smith added that Places for People’s scale, resource and geographical alignment mean the merger will deliver “hugely positive” outcomes for all Elim’s customers.
The news comes a fortnight after two South East organisations, Settle Group and Paradigm Housing, agreed to merge to form a 30,000-home landlord.
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