Mergers and restructures
On this page
About mergers and restructures
When change is not managed well, residents can experience delays, poor communication, and unresolved complaints.
This page offers landlords practical insights on managing systems, communicating with residents, and keeping complaint handling on track during periods of change.
Tell us about your merger or organisational change
As part of our duty to monitor compliance with the Complaint Handling Code, you need to tell us if your organisation is going through significant change.
Let us know if:
- there has been a significant organisational change, such as a change in trustees or directors
- there has been an organisational restructure, such as a merger or a large-scale stock transfer
Learning from landlords
Learning from landlords on mergers and restructures
Explore the insights and lessons shared by member landlords who have been through mergers and restructures.
Reports
Spotlight report on Knowledge and Information Management (KIM)
If your organisation is planning a merger or structural change, this report shares practical lessons from landlords that have gone through the process. It highlights common challenges, including the use of multiple systems for the same purpose after a merger. It also showcases good practice, such as keeping accurate records of new properties.
The follow-up report shares further examples of good practice. One landlord spent more than 18 months planning how it would manage data and information before the merger took place.
Spotlight report on repairs and maintenance
This report calls for a fundamental shift from treating houses as buildings to viewing them as homes and rebuilding the trust that’s critically missing between landlords, residents, and contractors.
In this report, contractors share the problems they experience when landlords merge, and the practical steps they suggested for resolving them.
Further investigation reports
Some of our investigations into landlords include findings related to mergers and restructures. Use these to understand what can go wrong and apply the learning to your own organisation.
Southern Housing
During our investigation we raised concerns about the newly merged landlord’s knowledge and information management, and the time taken to integrate systems.
GreenSquareAccord
We found inconsistent policies after the merger. The landlord introduced some new policies but did not review pre-existing ones, despite repeated complaints in those service areas. Multiple legacy systems led to poor data gathering and storage.
Haringey Council
This local authority had an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) but brought housing back under direct council control. Our investigation found it had not addressed the ALMO’s existing problems. Many policies went unreviewed and residents’ experiences worsened due to poor knowledge and information managament, such as the loss of ‘corporateknowledge’, and a failure to prepare for and, mitigate the risk of, this.
Lewisham Council
We found that this local authority inherited poor knowledge and information management practices from its ALMO.
Landlord training
Knowledge and information management training
Effective complaint handling is central to good landlord-resident relationships.
Our training helps you:
- improve knowledge and information management – understand best practices and apply them in your organisation
- enhance service delivery – learn how effective application of data and insight can lead to better outcomes and experience for residents
- stay informed on industry recommendations – explore findings from Spotlight reports and follow-up guidance
- develop practical skills – through scenario-based learning and real-world examples
Choose from in-depth eLearning courses, quick microlearning modules, real case studies, and expert podcasts.
Landlord Learning Hub
Your free training platform from the Centre for Learning
The Learning Hub gives you easy access to expert training designed for member landlords.
Create your account today and start using a wide range of resources to strengthen your complaint handling and meet the Code’s requirements.
Podcasts
Knowledge and information management playlist
Explore a series of thought-provoking conversations designed to help you master knowledge and information management.
These episodes bring together sector experts and leaders to share practical insights, success stories, and strategies that make a real difference.
Resident information
Resident support guides
Use this collection of support guide to make the complaints process easier and clearer.
They will help you understand your rights, know what steps to take, and get practical advice on all aspects of complaints.
These resources will give you the confidence to raise issues and get them resolved.
When to get help from us
Not sure when to contact the Housing Ombudsman?
This page explains when to get help. It shows what steps you need to take first, what we can and cannot look at, and how we can support you if your landlord has not resolved your complaint.
Use it to understand your options and make sure your complaint reaches the correct place.