We have joined The Guinness Partnership
We announced on the 28 April 2023 that we had begun partnership discussions with The Guinness Partnership. We officially joined The Guinness Partnership on the 4 December 2023.
On this page you will see the communications we have produced so far as well as some FAQs for our customers.
28.4.23 - We wrote to all of our customers - Customer Letter 28 April 2023
28.4.23 - We released a Media Statement - Media Statement 28 April 2023
6.7.23 - We published our Customer Engagement Brochure - Customer Engagement Brochure 6 July 2023
6.7.23 - We wrote to all of our customers about how they can share their views - Customer Letter 6 July 2023
6.7.23 - We opened our Partnership Survey allowing customer to provide feedback until 21 August 2023 - Partnership Survey
4.12.23 - We wrote to all of our customers confirming the partnership has completed - Customer Letter 4 December 2023
4.12.23 - We released a Media Statement - Media Statement 4 December 2023
If you would like to get in touch about the partnership please contact us at: partnership@sbhg.co.uk
Customer FAQs
Why are you proposing to partner with another housing association?
As a housing association our two key roles are to provide safe, well maintained homes for our residents and to provide new homes for those who need them.
Carrying out these roles is challenging for a few reasons, mainly our costs to remove cladding and improve building safety, our need to invest in maintaining homes now and our desire to improve their energy efficiency for the future.
We are committed to achieving these goals as well as providing new affordable homes to support the ever-increasing housing need. So that we can strengthen our ability to do so, we have taken the decision to partner with a larger Housing Association.
What are the benefits of partnership?
The partnership will make us stronger and enable us to do more for you, our customers, and the local communities we serve across west London. The partnership will allow us to:
- Improve the quality of homes quicker. Residents will receive investment to their homes, of over £200 million in the next ten years, which is sooner than would have been possible as an independent SBHA.
- Increase the focus on our customers. Residents will have a stronger voice and more chances to engage with us – enabling residents to help shape the future of housing across west London.
- Invest more in our local communities. The community will benefit from improved services and maintenance across our local green spaces and estates, and we will invest at least £350k in a new community fund over the first three years of partnership.
- Provide more homes. Over the first years of the partnership, we hope to create up to 1,000 new homes in west London. We will not need to sell as many properties, which will in turn create more choices for rehousing.
- Provide certainty for the longer-term. By combining our strengths at a national and local level we have created a strong partnership in west London, enabling us to anticipate and respond to the increasing challenges in the sector more effectively.
Will SBHA still exist?
Yes. We will, initially, operate as a subsidiary of The Guinness Partnership. This will ensure continuity for customers and colleagues, whilst preserving the SBHA brand and heritage across west London.
Will my rent and service charges be impacted?
No. Rent and service charges will continue to be reviewed each year in the same way as they were prior to partnership, in line with Government Regulation.
Will the partnership impact repairs and maintenance to my property?
The way we deliver our repairs service will remain the same. So, please keep reporting repairs to us via our online repairs form. By partnering with Guinness we will be able to improve the quality of our homes even further.
Will I lose the ‘Right to Buy’ my property?
Only certain tenants have the right to buy their homes. All tenants who currently have that right will continue to have it.
Will my tenancy type change?
No, this will not be affected – the terms of your current tenancy agreement will remain the same and SBHA will remain as your landlord for the time being.
I live in a shared ownership property, how will this affect me?
You will not be affected – the terms of your shared ownership lease and your statutory rights will remain the same. SBHA will remain as your landlord and freeholder for the time being.
I am a leaseholder, how will this affect me?
You will not be affected – the terms of your lease and your statutory rights will remain the same. SBHA will remain as your freeholder for the time being.
Will any planned works at my home be cancelled?
No. All planned major and routine works will continue as normal. One of the benefits of this partnership is we will be able to invest more in our properties, which means we will be doing more improvement works.
Will this lead to a pause in development work?
No, all developments under contract will continue as planned. Over the first years of the partnership, we hope to create up to 1,000 new homes in west London. We will not need to sell as many properties, which will in turn create more choices for rehousing.
As part of a larger organisation, will you lose the local and personal touch?
No. As part of our plans, we will keep our local structure, so we don’t lose our local focus. We know it’s important to you and it’s important to us too. With more homes in many of our neighbourhoods, we will be more connected with our customers and communities.
Will this partnership lead to an increase in the sale of properties?
No, the partnership will allow us to reduce the amount of properties we need to sell. Recently we have been selling a small number of empty properties to help pay for our building safety works. Whilst, we will still sell some empty properties, the number of properties we need to sell will be reduced because of this partnership.
Who will regulate the new partnership?
The Regulator of Social Housing regulates both SBHA and Guinness. This will continue to be the case if we join together.
About Shepherds Bush Housing Association
Part of The Guinness Partnership, we have more than 5000 homes, throughout nine boroughs in west London