The UK’s largest housing association Clarion has made changes to its executive team as it seeks to counter criticism of its estate management following a critical ITV documentary.

The UK’s largest housing association Clarion has made changes to its executive team as it seeks to counter criticism of its estate management following a critical ITV documentary.

The association which manages 125,000 homes, will move its current chief operating officer Michelle Reynolds into a chief customer officer role, while its group commercial director Rob Lane will become chief property officer.

The changes were announced internally to Clarion staff in an email, in which chief executive Clare Miller admitted the organisation needs to improve its engagement with residents.

Clarion, which has a development pipeline of 20,000 homes, was criticised after an ITV documentary earlier this year showed poor conditions on one of its estates in Merton, south London.

In an exclusive interview for Housing Today last week, Clarion board member David Orr admitted that Clarion had become distracted in Merton by a major regeneration programme and therefore “did not spend enough attention to the actual day-to-day fabric”.

He said however there is not a systemic problem with Clarion’s housing management.

The Regulator of Social Housing cleared Clarion of breaching its regulatory code.

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In other housing association people news, Moat chief executive Elizabeth Austerberry has announced she will stand down next summer after nine years of leading the 20,000-home association, which operates primarily in the south east.

Wheatley Group also announced that Paddy Gray, former president of the Chartered Institute of Housing has been appointed to lead the group’s charitable arm, the Wheatley Foundation, which on supports projects that tackle poverty and social isolation, promotes digital inclusion, and creates education and employability opportunities.