About us

Thirteen was created in April 2014 from the merger of two respected North East housing groups, Fabrick and Vela, into a single, stronger organisation with the collective scale and expertise to do and achieve much more.

Joining in partnership means we can share expertise, resources and costs, achieving savings without reducing services and allowing the partners in the group to focus on the needs of their tenants, clients and neighbourhoods and provide genuine opportunities, looking for the potential in everyone.

Together the partners own and manage more than 32,000 homes in an area spanning North Tyneside to York, making Thirteen the largest group of housing associations in the North East – and in the top 25 nationally. We're also one of the largest employers in the North East.

Partner landlords Erimus Housing, Housing Hartlepool, Tees Valley Housing and Tristar Homes are established, successful organisations in their own right, given strategic direction from parent company Thirteen, which drives the vision for the partnership.

In addition, Thirteen Care and Support offers services for vulnerable people facing a range of challenges.

At the heart of Thirteen lies a certainty that opportunity comes about when we’re willing to see things differently. So we avoid well-worn thinking, work hard to resist making assumptions and look for the potential in everyone. We are passionate about what we do - and we believe making a difference has got to be worth the time and effort it takes.