Clarion

The Housing Ombudsman investigates complaints about social landlords. When it finds a landlord got things wrong, it makes a finding of "maladministration" — or "severe maladministration" for the most serious failings. The findings below concern Clarion Housing Association Limited, the landlord within the group.^[5]

The October 2022 special report. In October 2022 the Ombudsman published a special report on Clarion. Across 13 investigations decided in the six months to June 2022, three-quarters ended in findings of service failure or maladministration, including 5 findings of severe maladministration.^[7] Clarion acknowledged it had provided substandard service in those cases and pointed to its investment in damp detection equipment and data management technology.^[7]

The February 2024 letter from the Secretary of State. On 9 February 2024 the then Housing Secretary wrote to Clarion's chief executive following, in the letter's words, "another four findings of severe maladministration by the Housing Ombudsman".^[8]

“I write again following another four findings of severe maladministration by the Housing Ombudsman.”^[8]

— Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Clarion's severe maladministration finding by the Housing Ombudsman (9 February 2024)

The wider numbers. The Ombudsman's landlord performance report for Clarion Housing Association covers April 2024 to March 2025. Of the 690 findings counted towards the rate, 413 were maladministration — a rate of 60%. That is below the national rate of 71%, and the 69% rate for landlords of a similar size and type.^[2] Property condition was the largest category of findings.^[2] The Ombudsman issued no complaint handling failure orders to Clarion in 2024/25, after three in 2023/24.^[2][5]

What Clarion says it has changed. In December 2022 Clarion announced a damp and mould action plan.^[9] It committed to:

• 100 additional staff;
• £5 million a year of extra investment;
• revisits to every home that had reported damp and mould in the previous two years.^[9]

Its complaint handling annual review reports severe maladministration determinations falling from 28 in 2023/24 to 15 in 2024/25.^[5] Its 2024/25 annual report also says it resolved 94% of urgent cases like damp and leaks within 7 days, up from 50% the year before.^[10]

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the government body that checks social landlords meet required standards for safe, decent homes. Since 2024 the RSH has been inspecting social landlords and giving each a consumer grade from C1 (the strongest) to C4.

Clarion's grade is C2. In its judgement published on 29 October 2025, the regulator graded Clarion Housing Group Limited — the parent group, the entity it grades — C2: "There are some weaknesses in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed."^[1]

The two weaknesses, in the regulator's words. First, on the condition of homes: "There is an inconsistency of its understanding of the condition of its homes across the extensive geography it operates in, and this is assessed as a weakness in meeting the outcomes of the safety and quality standard." Second: "Complaints handling is assessed as a weakness to delivering the outcomes of the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard."^[1]

The rest of the picture. The same judgement was more positive elsewhere:^[1]

• the group was graded G1 for governance and V1 for financial viability;
• the regulator saw evidence of appropriate tenant health and safety systems;
• it noted substantial progress on remedial actions from fire, electrical and lift assessments.

Grades are reviewed from time to time and can change — the judgement date is the one that matters.

A housing association's repair duties are just as strong as a council's — and they do not depend on its track record.

Repairs. Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Clarion must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair. It must also keep the installations for heating, hot water, gas, electricity, water and sanitation in proper working order. This applies to almost every tenancy and cannot be signed away.

Fitness for human habitation. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your home must also be fit to live in — free from serious hazards, including damp and mould that could harm your health.

Awaab's Law. Awaab's Law now sets legally binding timescales for social landlords to investigate hazards such as damp and mould and make homes safe — the disrepair page sets them out.^[12]

Clarion's own published timescales. Clarion sorts repairs by urgency and publishes target response times — the disrepair page sets them out.^[15]

If a deadline passes after you have reported a problem, the free next step is a formal complaint to Clarion.