CHP and Estuary potential merger FAQs

Both CHP and Estuary have recognised the growing challenges across the housing sector and the importance of continuing to invest in customer service, the quality of our existing homes, and meeting housing need across Essex with more new affordable homes. 

Through detailed discussions, it has become clear that the proposed merger between CHP and Estuary represents an exciting opportunity to bring together two locally focused, forward-thinking, and well-respected organisations to achieve positive outcomes for the customers we serve. 

By exploring coming together, we could create something new built on the best of both organisations. One that's stronger and more resilient, shares similar values and goals, and is better equipped to serve the people of Essex now and in the future.  

The current operating environment for housing associations is very challenging. There are increased demands on the social housing sector, and our proximity to London heightens some of the issues.  

Both organisations are reaching the end of their current Corporate Strategies and have been through customer, colleague, stakeholder, and Board consultations in preparation for the final Board approval of the next iterations. This has identified significant overlap and consistency between the ambitions of both organisations. 

Merging as one organisation has the potential to bring us the financial capacity to achieve our shared ambitions faster, more effectively, and with greater resilience than either organisation could do alone, benefiting both current and future customers. 

A merger occurs when two separate entities combine forces to create a new, joint organisation.  

CHP and Estuary are strong independently, but we believe we’d be even stronger together. Our initial analysis has shown that coming together could bring increased financial capacity to help us do more than either organisation could do alone. 

We have very similar ambitions for the future, values, and culture. We also share a similar geographic footprint, with most of our homes in the same areas. 

As one organisation, we would have greater capacity to improve services and maintain homes. We’re both committed to tackling the housing crisis, and joining together will also help us better address housing needs. We would be able to build more new homes, increase investment in our existing homes, and provide better service to our customers.

CHP has 11,780 homes. These are mainly general needs, with some leasehold, shared ownership, and market rent housing. We're focused on Essex, with operations stretching into Suffolk and East Hertfordshire. Our head office is in Chelmsford.  

Estuary has 4,700 homes. These are mainly general needs, with some leasehold, market rent, and supported housing. They are focused on South Essex, with operations stretching into East London and Suffolk. Their head office is in Southend. 

There are several reasons why CHP and Estuary are a strong match for a merger: 

• Our corporate plans and ambitions for the future are remarkably similar — we both want to improve services, invest in homes, and grow responsibly.
• We operate in a similar geographical area.
• We complement each other financially, bringing an increased financial resilience. 
• We have a shared culture: both organisations prioritise customers, communities, and colleagues. 

At this stage, we don’t think so. We have similar future priorities, values, and cultures.  

We’re both strongly connected to our local communities and focused on customers. As a single, bigger organisation, this wouldn’t change, and we hope that coming together will help us do things better and faster.  

We’ll be looking at the benefits and downsides of merging in more detail in the next phase of investigating the merger. This is called carrying out ‘due diligence’. 

We'll now begin a phase of 'due diligence', carrying out checks to enable both CHP and Estuary to determine if there are any significant concerns that would indicate that we shouldn't recommend this merger. 

As this due diligence progresses, we'll consult with our customers, our employees, and other key stakeholders. 

That final decision confirming a merger will need to be made by the Board, later this year. 

We'll keep you updated about progress as the proposal develops and we’ll be open, transparent, and keep you informed throughout.  

We'll have lots of opportunities for you to discuss this and provide your feedback.  

Understanding your views will be key in our decision making about whether to proceed with the merger. 

We’ll keep you updated via our customer newsletter, website, and other channels, or you can tell us you want to be involved by emailing consultation@chp.org.uk now. 

As we're still in the investigation stage, no decision has been made about the name of any new organisation. We'll keep you updated about this. 

Nothing will change until a merger is agreed upon. It's business as usual for both CHP and Estuary. Our priority remains the same: to continue improving the services we provide to our customers.  

If agreed, the new organisation will become your landlord, and it will mean we’ll be able to start to implement all the positive changes outlined in the previous answers.  
 
Our customers will always be our priority and will be at the centre of every decision we make. We’ll keep you informed throughout and give you plenty of notice if there are any changes in the future.