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Tenants’ group opposes Peabody and Family Mosaic amalgamation
Peabody and Family Mosaic tenants have written to the association’s chief executive opposing the amalgamation of the two housing associations.
Peabody and Family Mosaic merged in July last year to create a 55,000-home association and are now consulting with tenants over whether they should amalgamate the two associations. This would mean Family Mosaic ceases to exist and all tenants become Peabody tenants if the board approves the change.
But the newly formed group of tenants from the two housing associations – Peabody Family Voice – oppose the plan because they are concerned the combined organisation will lose accountability.
The letter states: “We have no faith that the amalgamation of Peabody and Family Mosaic is in our best interests. We feel that communication with management and levels of service will only get worse, and will meanwhile introduce new risks to our security.”
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The tenants are calling for “assurances” that the two housing associations will “prioritise the interests of tenants and residents”. They claim to have “suffered bitter decades of mismanagement” as the two housing associations have grown bigger. The letter added: “Tenants are angry at being ignored, and we see any further expansion as worsening this issue.”
Tenants are calling for improvements to be made to the landlord’s repairs and maintenance service. The letter said “many tenants” are “very angry about the extremely poor performance of the repairs and maintenance services”.
The group is also calling on the landlord to keep providing housing at social rents.
Brendan Sarsfield, chief executive of Peabody, said: “We started the merger process to enable us to make improvements to our services, protect low rents and build more much-needed homes. This includes more investment in repairs and maintenance and engagement with residents. Services to tenants are our top priority and we are focused on improving these across the organisation. We are also committed to providing more localised services. From reading the letter we appear to have the same goals as these residents.
“We completed our merger in July 2017. During our first six months as one organisation we have already made improvements and increased customer satisfaction, but of course there is still some more to do.
“I am sorry to hear about some residents’ concerns. This is the first contact we have had with them and I am happy to meet them to discuss their issues.”
