Aster Group and Synergy Housing Merger Completed
Posted 05.11.12
Homes and care provider Aster Group has pledged to deliver even better 'value and quality' to over 75,000 customers after successfully merging with Synergy Housing based in Dorset.
The merger creates a £145 million turnover, not-for-profit business, with assets of over £1 billion and employing more than 1,500 staff across Wiltshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Dorset, Berkshire and Devon and Cornwall.
The new group will serve more than 75,000 customers. It will manage more than 27,000 affordable homes through its businesses Aster Communities and Synergy Housing.
It will also carry out 60,000 repairs and maintenance jobs a year through Aster Property and provide care and support for around 20,000 customers through Aster Living.
The new Group's development business Aster Homes will build around 600 new homes each year from 2013, for open market sale and for rent as affordable housing.
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Places for People Acquires Private Management Company
Posted 25.11.12
Places for People have acquired Touchstone - a property management company responsible for managing 21,000 properties for a range of clients.
In 1999 Places for People established Blueroom - its private rented sector subsidiary. Since then it has continued to develop our products within this sector, alongside housing for sale, affordable rent and shared equity housing products.
David Cowans, Group Chief Executive of Places for People said:
"We have long supported the growth of the private rented sector, alongside other housing options for people and are delighted that we have been able to forge a strong relationship with Touchstone, which will create opportunities to grow the private market rented sector as one of the major options available for people's housing choices in the UK."
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HA Appoints Adviser for Staff Dealing with Aids & Adaptations
Posted 29.11.12
Safe and Healthy Homes Ltd [SHH] have been appointed by Guinness Northern Counties to provide a responsive advice and support service for their staff when dealing with requests for disabled adaptations.
The Company will work with Guinness Northern Counties to ensure that residents who need adaptations, get the right level of support from local authorities at a time of growing demand and shrinking resources.
It will also provide expert technical advice on the most appropriate type of adaptations on a case by case basis and work to establish greater consistency over joint funding agreements with local authorities.
Mark Gormley, Guinness Northern Counties' Head of Asset Management said:
"Our local teams regularly deal with often complex and emotive adaptation cases and will now have ready access to acknowledged experts in this field, who will assist them in dealing with tenant requests, complex cross agency negotiations, and ensuring that funding allocations are wisely spent."
All local authorities must provide mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants in qualifying cases, and many housing associations, such as Guinness Northern Counties, provide substantial financial contributions to support adaptations required in their properties.
