Cambridge Housing Society

What Cambridge Housing Society does

Cambridge Housing Society (CHS Group) is a registered charity and independent housing association founded in 1927 and headquartered in Histon, just outside Cambridge city centre. The organisation operates exclusively within Cambridgeshire, where it is one of only two independent associations and the sole provider offering a fully blended portfolio: general-needs affordable rented housing, specialist supported housing schemes for vulnerable cohorts (young people, young parents, people with learning disabilities and autism, and women escaping domestic abuse at Corona House), housing-with-care schemes for older people (Dunstan Court, Moorlands Court, Richard Newcombe Court), sheltered retirement housing, and shared ownership stock.

The operating model is asset-rent-led. Revenue derives principally from weekly social rents set under government policy (adjusted each April), tenant-borne service charges for communal services (gardening, window cleaning, heating, lighting), and unsold-equity rent on shared-ownership homes (with staircasing and resale fees on the share-ownership side). Tenants access services through a multi-channel framework: the myCHS online portal for rent, repairs and account management; Allpay for payments (direct debit, payment cards, Post Office/PayPoint); a 0300 customer service line; Vocoll-powered live chat during office hours; and ReadSpeaker text-to-speech accessibility. Operational delivery depends on a hybrid model combining directly employed staff with contracted partners (Sureserve for heating, Fortem for maintenance and electrical, MWGM for grounds maintenance across 100+ sites, FFT for stock condition surveys).

CHS differentiates on local depth and on a layer of community support services unusual for an association of its size. The Money Matters service delivered income-maximisation support to 429 tenants in the most recent year, and CHS facilitates or coordinates multiple regional networks (Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Charities Network, Fenland Charities Network, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Financial Capability Forum, GET Group, Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance). Regulatory standing is a core asset: the June 2026 RSH judgement maintained top-tier G1 (Governance) and V1 (Viability) ratings with a C2 consumer grade, and there is no disclosed parent company, private equity exposure or venture funding. No revenue, headcount beyond the 11–50 band, or financial statements are published in the source material, reflecting standard charity-sector disclosure norms.

Name

Cambridge Housing Society

Legal name

CHS Group Charitable Housing Association Cambridgeshire

Website

https://chsgroup.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cambridge Housing Society is an independent charitable housing association founded in 1927 that manages over 3,000 affordable homes across Cambridgeshire, combining general-needs rented housing, shared ownership and specialist supported housing for vulnerable cohorts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Housing Services

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Real Estate (6500), Lessors Of Real Property, Nec (6519)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonprofit / Faith-Based CCRCs (HLADAEAC)

Keywords

• Social housing services
• Affordable rental housing
• Supported housing
• Shared ownership homes
• Housing with care

Headquarters

HQ city

Histon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Social Housing Rents: CHS generates revenue primarily through weekly rent payments from social housing tenants. Rent is due on Monday each week in advance, with options for fortnightly or monthly payments in advance. Weekly rent is set using guidelines established by government policy, which also determines the rate at which rent can change each April.
2. Service Charges: Depending on location, residents may be charged for communal services including communal gardening, window cleaning, heating, lighting, and furnishings or equipment in communal sitting rooms. Service charges are calculated based on costs likely to occur during the year and are set every April.
3. Shared Ownership: Shared owners purchase a percentage share of their property and pay rent on the remaining share. They can staircase to increase their ownership percentage. CHS charges a fee of 1% + VAT of the Sale Price when selling shared ownership properties, plus a reduced admin fee of £500 if an estate agent finds a buyer after the nomination period.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cambridge Housing Society (CHS Group) is an independent, charitable housing association that provides affordable rented homes, shared ownership properties, and specialist supported housing across Cambridge and Cambridgeshire. It manages over 3,000 homes and delivers wraparound community support services including Money Matters financial advice and a Housing & Communities Connector Service for vulnerable populations such as young people, older people, and people with learning disabilities or autism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Rented Homes (General Needs) Standard social housing rental properties let to general needs tenants in Cambridge and Cambridgeshire at government-policy-set weekly rents, with weekly, fortnightly or monthly payment options.
• Shared Ownership Homes Part-buy, part-rent home ownership product where purchasers buy a percentage share and pay subsidised rent on the remainder, with the option to staircase to higher ownership and resell through CHS's shared ownership resale process (1% + VAT fee).
• Supported Housing for Young People Specialist accommodation and support for young people who are homeless or at risk, including the Fenland Young People's Service.
• Supported Housing for Young Parents Specialist accommodation and parenting support for young parents needing stable housing with wraparound services.
• Supported Housing for People with Learning Disabilities and Autism (Russell Street) Specialist accommodation at Russell Street providing accessible housing and independence support for people with learning disabilities and autism.
• Women's Services - Corona House Women's refuge and specialist domestic abuse support service at Corona House providing crisis housing and dedicated support.
• Housing with Care for Older People Specialist accommodation with on-site personal care and support for older people at three schemes: Dunstan Court, Moorlands Court, and Richard Newcombe Court.
• Sheltered (Retirement) Housing Retirement housing for older residents providing independent living with light-touch support services and a warden or scheme manager.
• Money Matters Financial Advice Service Tenant support service helping CHS residents increase their income, manage debt, and cope with cost-of-living pressures. 429 tenants were supported over the last year.
• Housing & Communities Connector Service Support service that connects tenants with local community resources, services and opportunities to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing.
• My Home Contents Insurance Scheme Specialist tenants contents insurance policy, partnered with Thistle Tenant Risks and Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited, to help tenants protect their possessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 homes managed across Cambridge and Cambridgeshire
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mark Walker Grounds Maintenance Ltd (MWGM)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 November 2021MWGM has been in contract with CHS since 1st November 2021 (until November 2025). They deliver grounds maintenance services to over 100 sites. MWGM has been established since 1984 and is based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. They are a member of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) and have won a National Principal Award in Grounds Maintenance.
• Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Charities NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS facilitates meetings of the Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Charities Network, bringing together local groups and stakeholders to support and learn from each other and to maximise the contribution of local community and voluntary sector organisations.
• Fenland Charities NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS facilitates the Fenland Charities Network meetings, bringing together local groups and stakeholders to support and learn from each other and to maximise the contribution of local community and voluntary sector organisations.
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Financial Capability ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS coordinates this forum which brings together local government, and the local voluntary and community sectors to enable better understanding of the impact of national policy changes and work together to join services up at a local level.
• GET GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS is an active member of the GET Group, which brings together organisations to better support people into education, training or employment.
• Making Money CountcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a legacy of being partners in Making Money Count and the New Horizons projects, CHS facilitates the Making Money Count website which offers everyday help with money to people living in Cambridgeshire.
• Cambridge Food Poverty AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS is a member of the Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance which brings together people and organisations in the City who are committed to reducing food poverty.
• FFT (Future Property Tax Consultants)coreTechnology or IntegrationCHS has commissioned specialists FFT to carry out Stock Condition Surveys in all their homes. These surveys enable CHS to determine what type of works will be needed in the future and when, as well as identifying any potential hazards.
• Sureserve Compliance Central LimitedcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSureserve Compliance Central Limited (formerly Aaron Services) serves as the heating and hot water contractor for CHS, handling gas heating, hot water repairs, communal heating repairs, and electrical safety checks.
• FortemcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFortem serves as a contractor for CHS handling electric heating and hot water repairs, as well as providing maintenance services. CHS has been working closely with Fortem on resolving repairs outstanding for a long time and improving overall performance.
• Thistle Tenant Risks / My Home Contents Insurance SchememinorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCHS has partnered with Thistle Tenant Risks and Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited to offer the My Home Contents Insurance Scheme, a specialist Tenants Contents Insurance policy to help protect tenant possessions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stonewater: Major UK not-for-profit housing association delivering affordable rental, shared ownership, and supported housing across multiple regions. Closely mirrors CHS's model of combining general needs housing with specialist supported and older-people's housing under a charitable structure.
• Anchor Hanover: UK charitable provider specialising in housing and care for older people, including independent living, housing with care, and dementia services. Directly comparable for CHS's housing-with-care schemes (Dunstan Court, Moorlands Court, Richard Newcombe Court) and sheltered housing portfolio.
• Home Group: UK charitable housing association delivering affordable rental, supported housing, and care services across the country. Similar non-profit structure and blended model of general needs plus specialist supported and older-people's housing.
• Sanctuary Housing: One of the largest UK not-for-profit housing associations, providing general needs, supported, retirement, and care housing. Comparable as a charitable operator with a diversified service portfolio covering older people and vulnerable groups similar to CHS.
• Hyde Group: UK not-for-profit housing association providing affordable rented, shared ownership, and supported housing, including housing for older people and vulnerable groups. Comparable charitable operator with a similar product mix and tenant segments to CHS.
• Orbit Group: Large UK not-for-profit housing association providing affordable rented, shared ownership, and supported housing across the Midlands and beyond. Directly comparable as a charitable housing provider offering a similar blended portfolio of general needs, supported, and housing-with-care services.
• Longhurst Group: UK housing association operating affordable rented, shared ownership, supported living, and housing-with-care services, mainly in the Midlands and East of England. Highly comparable in scale, service mix, and East-of-England geographic adjacency to CHS.

Regional players

• LiveWest: UK not-for-profit housing association focused primarily on the South West of England, offering affordable rented, shared ownership, and supported housing. Comparable charitable structure and service mix, but a different primary geography and therefore not a direct competitor to CHS in Cambridgeshire.

Broad incumbents

• Clarion Housing: Largest UK housing association, providing general needs, shared ownership, supported, and retirement housing nationwide. Overlapping charitable model and service portfolio, but operating at far greater scale and geographic breadth than CHS.
• Peabody: One of the UK's largest housing associations and charitable providers, operating general needs, shared ownership, supported, and older-people's housing across London and the South East. Comparable service mix but materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint than CHS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chsgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Housing Society