Peabody and Catalyst complete merger to create 104,000-home landlord

In an interview with Social Housing in February, Mr McDermott and Ms Thomas said that the newly formed organisation would be adopting a ‘localities’ plan after finding success with it at Catalyst, and that this plan was what attracted Peabody to the idea of a merger.

The group said it is already putting in place a new regional structure and locality model.

There will be six managing directors responsible for individual geographical locations, and each will have overall responsibility for the delivery of services in that area.

“They will have the knowledge and resources to tailor services and projects to meet local need, mobilising teams of neighbourhood customer specialists working closely with residents,” a Peabody media statement said today.  

Mr McDermott was the chief executive of Catalyst until he moved across to Peabody.

On the news of the completed merger, Mr McDermott said: “Our customers will be front and centre of our new organisation. Our increased scale will allow us to invest more in services, homes, technology and our people.

“We want to transform our services for the better, working with customers to create and design services that help them get things done easily and quickly.

“We’ll be focused on getting the basics right, including delivering an effective repairs service, and also fostering a people-first culture throughout the organisation.

“Equality, diversity and inclusion will be central to what we do, and we are planning an academy of talent, where colleagues and customers will be able to learn side by side.

“Customers need to be heard, and through meaningful involvement and local engagement, we will make sure that they are.”

He added: “I know we’ll be judged not on our words, but on our actions and on the quality of what we do, which is absolutely right.

“We will learn and improve as we transition to the new operating model, and we are determined to make the most of this huge opportunity to make a positive impact and help people flourish and succeed in their lives.”

In its statement, the newly merged group said that its priorities would be: 

• “Getting the basics right, including providing an effective repairs service, investing in homes, and introducing a new locality model to provide simple and easy access to services;
• Developing the approach to customer engagement, involvement and co-production;
• Putting equality, diversity and inclusion at the core of Peabody’s culture;
• Going further and faster on building safety and sustainability, developing new affordable homes, continuing placemaking and regeneration activities, and investing in communities and care and support services.”

On the merger, Lord Kerslake said: “I am delighted to confirm that our two successful organisations have joined together. We have a lot of work to do.

“First and foremost, we will be smoothly integrating our organisations and putting our locality model in place, with a strong focus on improving our services and investing in our homes.

“We’re passionate about creating a sustainable Peabody and are committed to developing new social homes and investing in communities and care and support services.”

Several organisations in the sector have recently completed or are currently looking to undergo mergers. Last Thursday (24 March), fellow G15 associations Optivo and Southern Housing Group announced that they were discussing a merger that could create a new 77,000-home landlord as early as December.