Optivo and Southern Housing Group have today officially merged to form Southern Housing. Legal completion was achieved this morning following formal registration with the Financial Conduct Authority.
Plans to merge the two not-for-profit housing associations were first announced in March 2022. Over the following months both organisations engaged extensively with residents, colleagues and external partners. This included an intensive six-week formal resident consultation over June and July. Over two-thousand residents responded, with a clear majority expressing support for the merger. Having considered resident feedback alongside financial due diligence, both boards agreed to proceed with the merger, which is now legally complete having achieved the relevant consents.
Southern Housing will own around 77,000 homes and serve 167,000 residents across London, the South East, the Midlands and the Isle of Wight. Sir Peter Dixon – until now chair of Optivo’s board – becomes the Chair for the new organisation, while Janet Collier – now former chair of Southern Housing Group’s audit and risk committee – becomes the Vice-Chair. Paul Hackett CBE takes on the role of Chief Executive.
