Next year marks the centenary of The Cambridge Housing Society Limited (CHS). It was launched in 1927, in response to the housing crisis and poor living conditions that persisted following the First World War. Today, CHS owns over 3,000 properties in Cambridge and surrounding counties.

In 2025, with Unity’s largest loan to date, CHS refinanced its portfolio to the tune of £30 million. This includes £3 million funding through Unity’s award-winning Retrofit Transition Initiative (RTI).  RTI is designed to support housing associations’ decarbonisation and retrofit activities. CHS will use it to support improvements to the energy-efficiency of their properties.

Jonathan Birkert, Director of Finance at CHS, said: “There’s an alignment between us and Unity in terms of social value and social impact. Our refinancing with Unity had a tight timescale but they kept us up to date throughout. We all worked well together to get this over the line.”

Speaking specifically to the value of the RTI, Jonathan said: “The reduced margin of the RTI loan is obviously beneficial in terms of best value. However, we also like that Unity is very flexible.”

Impact

All social housing must achieve the Government’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or higher by 2030. In 2025, CHS received a grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). This helped to take forward a two-year programme of Net Zero works targeted at 119 homes. It also helped to develop the organisation’s approach going forward.

Jonathan said: “Our initial focus is around fabric first. This includes works to windows, doors, external wall, cavity and loft insulation. This will improve the energy efficiency of the home. It’s also been supported by additional measures, such as solar panels, in some properties. We will continue the fabric first approach. A programme of works to install air source heat pumps and solar panels is also being developed. With high energy bills and the rising cost of living, these measures benefit our customers directly. They also provide safer housing. Providing a well-maintained home for our tenants to live in is a key focus for us.”

CHS provides accommodation for over 7,000 people. It provides general housing, housing with care, and sheltered accommodation and supported housing. The supported housing is for people at risk of homelessness and with a range of additional needs. These include young people aged 16-25, adults with mental health issues, learning disabilities and autism, and women fleeing domestic violence. CHS also invests in additional community services such as providing support for managing finances and finding employment.