Potential merger with Lincolnshire Housing Partnership
We are exploring a potential merger with Lincolnshire Housing Partnership (LHP), a housing association based in Grimsby and Boston. The merger would be equal between our two organisations, and we believe that by combining our strengths, we could offer even better services to our tenants and customers.
The proposal is that LHP will transfer its assets and liabilities (including all of its social housing homes) into Ongo to form one single organisation. LHP is a registered provider of social housing with charitable status in the same way that Ongo is.
What does it mean for you?
If this proposal goes ahead your landlord would remain the same and your rights will not change should the proposed transfer take place. Most importantly:
- Your tenancy agreement and the rights associated with it would not change.
- The rent and/or service charges you pay and how this is calculated, would remain the same.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about the proposed merger. Please fill in the form at the bottom of this page or find other ways you can contact us in the Customer customer consultation section.
Who is LHP?
LHP is a local housing association that provides affordable housing options to hard-to-reach areas across Lincolnshire. They also reinvest into local communities to enhance the surroundings and improve the quality of life of their customers.
Their 2022-2027 Corporate Strategy is focused on “Building Strong Communities Together” and includes initiatives to modernise their repairs service, improve communication with customers, and make more of their communal areas and green spaces.
LHP is committed to making a significant social and sustainable impact in the region, and they have already made progress in this area by securing funding to improve the energy efficiency of over 700 homes and training their colleagues in carbon literacy. LHP prides itself on providing great homes and strong communities, and they are dedicated to being a local landlord for local people across Lincolnshire.
Meet the Chief Exec
Hear from our Chief Exec Steve, with more information about the potential merger.
What’s next?
We have entered into due diligence with LHP to look into all the legal and financial requirements and to make sure we are a good fit for one another. This stage is expected to take two to three months. If all goes to plan, we will aim to launch our combined organisation in 2024.
We’re carrying out a consultation with all our customers in line with the standards issued by the Regulator of Social Housing, and we’d love to hear from you with your thoughts about the proposed merger with LHP.
Read on for to find out more about the customer consultation, and for some Frequently Asked Questions.
Customer Consultation
We are carrying out this consultation with our residents in line with the standards issued by the Regulator of Social Housing, and we’d love to hear from you with your thoughts about the proposed merger with LHP.
Your feedback will be shared with our Board when they consider whether or not to proceed with the proposed merger. You will be informed once we reach a decision on this, which we’re expecting to be early in the new year.
How can you have your say?
You’ve got until 5pm on Sunday 10 December to share any feedback with us. Below are all the ways you can get in touch with us.
- Complete the form at the bottom of this page
- Write to us: Wendy Wolfe, Ongo House, High Street, Scunthorpe, DN15 6AT
- Email us: customerengagementdept@ongo.co.uk
- If you would like to talk to someone about the proposals, call Wendy Wolfe on 01724 298866 before the consultation closing date of 10 December
No – your landlord would remain Ongo Homes. The conditions of your tenancy or lease would not change, and you would have the same level of rights and protection that you have now.
We anticipate that the new structure would take effect in April 2024, but we will keep you updated.
Here’s the proposed timeline:
- 14 September – colleagues, customers and unions updated on potential merger plans
- September – October – follow up meetings and information to be shared with colleagues
- October –due diligence is expected to conclude
- October – Tenant consultation begins
- December 2023/January 2024– Joint decision by both Boards to be made on whether to proceed with merger
- December 2023 – New Chief Exec and Group Chair of Board of joint organisation appointed
- January – March 2023 – New Leadership team of joint organisation formed
- April 2024 – Merger takes place and LHP Ongo is officially formed.
No, the merger would not affect your rent or service charge. We would continue to review charges every year, as we do at the moment, in line with your current tenancy agreement or lease. Rent increases would only be made in line with Government guidance and requirements (as they are now).
No changes are anticipated to the way you pay now.
If you already have the Right to Buy or Acquire, you would not lose the right and you would continue to be able to exercise the right in the same way as before.
There are no proposals for these to change as part of the proposals.
You will still be able to get in touch with us in all the ways you’re used to – phone, email, social media, web chat and via our tenant portal My Home.
We are committed to providing ways for you to get involved and help us improve our services. We are keen to hear what you think, what’s important to you and how we can improve our services. This would remain the same if the proposal goes ahead and our commitment to hearing our residents’ voices and giving you opportunities to influence how we design and deliver our services remains a priority. We will work with our current resident groups to make sure that your voice will continue to be heard on issues relating to local, regional and nationwide matters.
We know that having our tenants involved in our decision making helps us be the best organisation we can, and this isn’t going to change.
Understandably the work involved in progressing a merger is time consuming and involves lots of our colleagues undertaking this additional work. This risks other projects being delayed for a short period. However, we can assure you that the benefits of our new combined partnership organisation significantly outweigh this. We can also assure you that there will be no day to day negative effect on the services you receive from our colleagues.
Have your say
Use this form to tell us your thoughts or ask a question about the proposed merger with LHP.
Your feedback will be shared with our Board when they consider whether or not to proceed with the proposed merger.