Housing Association Mergers

AWICS is able to support housing associations that are either considering or implementing a merger.

For example, we have recently assisted two London housing associations (YMCA East London and YMCA London Southwest) with preparing a business plan and a business care for merger.

This involved producing thirty-year business plans for each housing association on a stand-alone basis and for the proposed group that included the income & expenditure account. balance sheet, cash flow, treasury management plan, asset management plan, an assessment of value for money gains and a sensitivity and risk analysis.

We also provided a business case report that covered:

• The Business Proposition: Internal approvals and decision-making for the merger; Rationale for the Merger; Proposed benefits (value for money and cost efficiencies); Proposed benefits to residents and service users; Strategic Direction; Project Management; Roles and Advisors.
• Governance Arrangements: Shareholder Agreement and Consents; Board Skills and Training.
• Financial Matters: Outputs of the financial model; Sensitivity Analysis and Stress Testing; Summaries of pre-merger financial plans and conslidated position.
• External Factors: Extension of Right to Buy; Rent Reduction; Near market rents for tenants on high incomes; Welfare Reform.
• Due diligence, SWOT and Risk Analysis: Due diligence; SWOT analysis; Risk analysis; Treasury Management; Asset Management and Development; Staffing and TUPE; Pensions; Information and Communications Technology.
• Dis-benefits of Merger.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Post-Merger monitoring.

We made presentations to the boards of both associations and assisted the Chief Executives in aking a presentation to the Homes & Communities Agency.

The merger has now taken place and is successful.

AWICS subsequently assisted YMCA West London with preparing a business plan and business case for their participation in the merged YMCA.

The merged YMCA is about to acquire Slough YMCA in December 2017 and then, in April 2018, West London YMCA. So the work AWICS did on bringing together East London and London South West gave a good foundation for further expansion. The enlarged organisation will be the largest YMCA in Europe, and will be a major player in housing London's young, vulnerable and homeless people.

For more information on how AWICS could assist with housing association mergers contact Adrian Waite at adrian.waite@awics.co.uk or 017683-51498.

Our briefing paper on housing association mergers can be freely downloaded from HERE

Housing Association Mergers can produce increased value for money in terms of efficiencies and improved homes and services - but only if there is a robust business plan and business case.

More Information about Housing Association Finance

For information about our seminar: 'All You Want to Know about Housing Association Finance' please click HERE

For information about in-house training in housing association finance, please click HERE

For information about management consulting advice and assistance for housing associations, please click HERE

For information about Independent Tenants' & Residents' Advice, please click HERE

For briefing papers on Housing Association Finance, please click HERE

For our newsletter the 'AWICS Housing News' please click HERE