YOUR QUESTIONS ON OUR PROPOSED MERGER

Q Will there be any changes to my tenancy?
A No. There will be no changes. You will have the same tenancy, home and services as you do now.

Q Will there be any changes to my service charges or rent?
A No. Your rent and service charge will stay the same and will continue to be reviewed yearly every April. If you are entitled to Housing Benefit, it will be paid in the same way as it is now. If you pay your own rent or pay for utilities, you can continue to pay in the same way as you do now.

Q Is the repairs contractor changing and will the way I report repairs change?
A Not straight away. Both of us use the same repairs contractor currently and repairs will continue as they do now - If there is a change at a later date we will ensure you have the details in advance.

Q Will my Housing Officer change?
A We do not know at this stage. One of the good things about the proposed merger is that we will have more Housing Officers with properties concentrated in a smaller area - if your Housing Officer needs to change, we will let you know nearer the time.

Q Will my care and support provider change?
A No. Your care and support provider will stay the same

Q Will we be letting our care and support providers know?
A Yes. We have contacted our care and support providers. We will keep them updated.

Q Will my cleaning and gardening service change?
A No. If we do need to change this, we will always speak to you first.

Q If BeST merge, will my landlord be called BeST or Westmoreland Supported Housing?
A This has not been decided yet. If BeST and Westmoreland Supported Housing decide to merge, we can choose to take either name or we could be known by a new name. We will let you know once this has been decided.

Q Will individuals be able to get involved as they do now?
A Yes. We will continue to provide opportunities for tenants across the country to have their say. This will include meetings and activities.

Q What if I have any more questions?
A If you have any other questions, please ask. You can do this by:

• Sending an email to MergerConsultations@bestha.co.uk
• Phoning us on 0161 786 6000 option 6
• Or, if you need assistance, please ask your Housing Officer, care staff or family member to help

You can also join a Teams information sessions:

Tuesday 26th November 1-2pm (online) Microsoft Teams. Click here for an invite
Tuesday 7th January 12-1pm (online) Microsoft Teams - Joint session with Westmoreland Click here for an invite

An Easy Read version of information about the proposed merger is available or you can request it by emailing the email address MergerConsultations@bestha.co.uk, by calling us on 0161 786 6000 option 6 or you can request one from your Housing Officer.

HAVE YOUR SAY

We want to hear your feedback on the proposed merger. The consultation period will run until Friday January 10th, 2025. We have extended the consultation period to take into account the Christmas holiday period.

Please submit any questions or comments before the closing date to ensure they are included in the consultation.

To respond, you can:

• Complete this feedback form
• Complete and return the form we posted to tenants using the provided freepost envelope.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CONSULTATION ENDS

The Boards of BeST and Westmoreland Supported Housing will review all comments and feedback on the proposal to decide whether to proceed with the merger plans. We will inform you of the outcome and decisions once both Boards have decided on the approach.