Frequently Asked Questions
Here is more information about Places for People, and about what would happen if SYHA joins PfP as a subsidiary (a company that is owned by another organisation). This page was last updated in July 2025.
We have categorised the questions into four themes: The partnership, My home, My services and Customer engagement.
Please get in touch with us on enquiries@syha.co.uk or call 0800 1380 380 if you have any additional questions or feedback.
The partnership
Who are Places for People?
Places for People (PfP) was founded in Preston in 1965 with the aim of being a force for good in the housing industry. Their goal is to be the UK’s leading social enterprise, changing lives by creating and supporting thriving Communities. PfP have a long and stable history, and are one of the largest social housing providers in the UK.
PfP and SYHA both aim to provide great homes and services, offer support for people’s health and wellbeing, and listen to and value their customers.
PfP:
- Own and manage over 240,000 properties, including over 4,000 homes in Sheffield
- Invested £219m in their existing homes in 2023-24
- Operate over 100 leisure facilities to support the health and wellbeing of their customers and communities
- Helped 10,390 people that were homeless or at risk of being homeless in 2023-24
- Supported 23,855 people through projects improving health and wellbeing in 2023-24.
Why is this happening?
The partnership would support SYHA to improve our finances, so we can continue to provide good-quality, well-maintained homes, and support for people to settle and live well in their community. PfP and SYHA will also learn from each other by sharing skills, knowledge and resources.
PfP have committed to…
- additional investment in existing SYHA homes, to make sure they are comfortable, energy-efficient, safe and enjoyable to live in
- continuing and growing care, health and wellbeing services provided by SYHA and PfP
- building more social homes across South Yorkshire.
If SYHA doesn’t secure a partner, this will result in…
- selling more social homes when they become empty, to support our financial position
- less investment in our customers’ homes
- reduced customer services and support
- being unable to build new social homes.
However, before the Board makes a final decision about joining the PfP Group, they want to hear your views and consider customer feedback in the decision-making process.
If approved, when would this proposal take effect?
We anticipate that SYHA would become a subsidiary of PfP in December 2025. SYHA would keep its name and continue operating as its own legal entity.
This would be followed by a period of SYHA and PfP working together to develop better and more cost-effective services.
Are there any disadvantages associated with SYHA joining the PfP Group?
We have looked carefully at this proposal to ensure it wouldn’t create any major problems for SYHA and its customers.
While SYHA and PfP work together to develop better and more cost-effective services, we will try to minimise any negative impacts. However, we know that changes and improvements can (in the short-term) require additional employee time and resource.
Overall, we believe that there are many positives to the proposed partnership, and have shared some of these in the FAQs.
How did SYHA choose PfP Group as a potential partner?
The SYHA Board followed a thorough process to select a partner, and looked at potential partners’ performance, customer engagement and service, finances and values. The process involved applications, interviews, and visits to potential partners’ offices.
The SYHA Board made sure that any potential partner could commit to providing financial support, investing in SYHA customers’ homes and services, and developing new social housing across South Yorkshire. PfP have committed to meeting all of SYHA’s asks for our customers, their homes, the organisation, and our colleagues.
Why are you consulting customers about this?
We are carrying out this consultation with our customers in line with the rules set by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The RSH sets standards for housing providers to make sure that we keep people safe, listen to you, and put things right. This also includes seeking your views on any new partnerships.
We welcome your views, and your feedback will be shared with the SYHA Board when they consider whether to approve SYHA becoming a part of PfP.
Would SYHA always be a subsidiary of the PfP Group?
If SYHA joins PfP, then PfP can subsequently decide to complete a Transfer of Engagements in the future. A Transfer of Engagements is when one organisation joins another, and they act as a single organisation under one name.
Currently, PfP have stated that they plan to complete a Transfer of Engagements within 18 months of SYHA joining PfP as a subsidiary. This would mean that your landlord would change, because SYHA as an organisation would not exist after a Transfer of Engagements – PfP would become your landlord instead.
However, before a decision about a Transfer of Engagements is made, we would let you know and start another customer consultation. The Board would use the feedback from the customer consultation to decide whether to proceed.
The proposal and consultation we refer to on this page is only about SYHA joining PfP as a subsidiary.
My home
Would my landlord or freeholder change?
If SYHA joins PfP as a subsidiary, your landlord would remain the same as SYHA and PfP would stay as separate organisations.
The conditions of your tenancy or lease would not change as a result of the proposed partnership, and you would have the same legal rights and protection as you do now.
Would my rent or service charge be affected?
If SYHA joins PfP as a subsidiary, this would not affect your rent or service charge. We will continue to review charges every year, in line with your current tenancy agreement or lease.
Would there be a change to how I pay my rent or service charge?
If SYHA joins PfP as a subsidiary, you will be able to continue to pay as you do now.
What about the right to buy/acquire?
If SYHA joins PfP as a subsidiary, and you already have the right to buy or acquire, you will not lose that right.
My services
Would the way I contact SYHA change?
You would continue to get in touch with us as you do now, by phone, email, our website, or by talking to your Housing or Neighbourhood Officer, or your Key Worker.
Would my repairs, grounds maintenance or cleaning contractors change?
There are no plans for these to change as part of the proposals. However, we are always looking for ways to make improvements – and, if we join PfP, there will be more opportunities to make our services better and more cost-effective. This means that there may be changes in the future.
Would I have the same contact at SYHA?
SYHA will still be responsible for the management of your home and services. We are always looking for ways to make improvements – and, if we join PfP, there will be more opportunities to make our services better and more cost-effective. This means that there may be changes in the future.
Will the quality of customer services change?
Both SYHA and PfP have a reputation for great customer services. The RSH has awarded PfP a C1 grading of the Consumer Standards, and SYHA has consistently achieved good Tenant Satisfaction Measures results. We believe that this is a solid foundation to further improve and enhance customer service.
Customer services would still be provided through SYHA’s Rockingham Street office, which would remain open to customers.
PfP invests in innovation, exploring ways to make improvements to services. Although PfP have recognised that SYHA offer excellent customer services, by joining PfP SYHA would benefit from any investment that could increase the quality of our services further.
Would the non-social housing activity offered by SYHA continue?
SYHA offers a range of care, health and wellbeing support, which we call our LiveWell services. This includes employment services, support for people living with mental health conditions, and homes and support for people experiencing homelessness.
PfP is committed to maintaining LiveWell services if SYHA joins the group as a subsidiary. PfP have also committed to working together to support more people and communities to access these services. Last year, PfP invested £5m in social impact activities and delivered £324m in social value.
Customer engagement
How would customers influence the way the new organisation operates?
We want to hear what you think, what’s important to you, and how we can improve our services. Our commitment to customer engagement remains a priority if the partnership goes ahead. We would work with our current customer groups to make sure that your voice continues to be heard.
PfP is also committed to ensuring that customers can shape and improve services, and has a variety of opportunities for people to get involved across PfP.
PfP’s National Customer Group consists of 15 customers who meet with Group Board and Executive Team. The National Customer Group has a crucial governance role at PfP. Its role is to hold the Board and Executive to account, scrutinise performance and standards, ensure the customer voice is heard and acted upon, and challenge PfP to achieve its aspiration to be the UK’s leading social enterprise. PfP also have Regional Customer Groups that meet with senior leadership to review regional performance and drive improved customer outcomes through scrutiny and service reviews. We will share with SYHA customers how to become involved in these groups after SYHA became a subsidiary of PfP.
Glossary of terms
Partnership: The partnership would involve SYHA becoming a subsidiary of Places for People group.
Consultation: An opportunity to share your feedback and ask questions.
Consumer Standards: The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) introduced Consumer Standards for social housing providers. The standards aim to ensure tenants receive safe, high-quality homes and services, and that they can hold their landlords accountable.
Subsidiary: A company that is owned by another organisation, but has its own Board.
Tenant Satisfaction Measures: A way of measuring the performance of social landlords. They monitor how well we’re doing at providing quality homes and services, and help us understand how we can make improvements.
Transfer of engagements: When one organisation joins another, and they act as a single organisation under one name.
