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Hertfordshire landlords to rebrand after merger
Thrive Homes and Watford Community Housing will rebrand as Chime Housing following the merger in the summer.
Hertfordshire landlords to rebrand after merger #UKhousingThrive Homes and Watford Community Housing will rebrand as Chime Housing following the merger in the summer #UKhousingThe Hertfordshire-based landlords confirmed in March that they would be joining forces after revealing they were in merger talks last autumn.
The 14,500-home merged association’s new name was picked after workshops with stakeholders and research that highlighted the importance of unity, the landlords explained.
Chime Housing aims to be committed to putting the customer at the heart of everything it does. To achieve this, the association will work closely alongside its customers.
The new name is supported by a logo rebrand in the form of a wren, symbolising togetherness. The collective noun for a group of wrens is a chime.
Hattie Llewelyn-Davies, group board chair designate at Chime Housing, said: “We’re delighted to announce the name of our new organisation as Chime Housing – a name that captures the shared values and ambitions of the two housing associations we are bringing together.
“As we form our new community gateway organisation, we’re committed to being fully aligned with our residents, remaining in chime with their needs and expectations, through close engagement and collaborative decision-making.”
Paul Richmond, chief executive designate of Chime Housing, said: “Our new name speaks to our commitment to working alongside our residents to build an organisation that can deliver great services and help to foster stronger communities in the areas we serve.
“This new brand featuring a wren symbolises the strength that we will find by merging two successful housing associations and forging close ties with our residents, just as a chime of wrens finds strength in numbers.”
The landlords had made several earlier commitments about how they will operate in future, based on feedback from a tenant survey.
Key pledges include improving the repairs service and tenants’ access to information, using corporate savings to keep local bases and bring in more resident-facing staff, and providing opportunities for residents to influence how the landlord is run.
In March, Watford Community Housing completed an £100m refinancing deal with Santander, which included £50m of new funding.
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