Clarion Housing Group – Stock Condition Surveys

Clarion Housing Group is the UK’s largest housing association, managing over 125,000 homes and providing housing to over 360,000 residents across 170+ local authorities. They are united in their efforts to build better futures and provide homes for those who need them most.

Clarion Housing Group commissioned Faithorn Farrell Timms to undertake a three-year programme, extendable to five, for the delivery of stock condition surveys and associated advisory services across the Southern region of their housing portfolio.

The scope of services includes external and internal inspections of homes, with the surveys providing data for attributes, estimated installation dates and remaining lifespans for all major building components. This allows Clarion to make assessments against the Decent Homes Standard and predict future investment needs.

FFT’s role is to provide Clarion with reliable stock condition, RdSAP and HHSRS data to inform future repairs, maintenance and improvement programmes. By collecting, validating and reporting on the attributes and conditions of their housing stock, we strengthen the quality of existing records and support future maintenance planning. To date, we have delivered data collected from the inspection of over 20,000 homes.

To ensure seamless integration, we have adapted to the use of Clarion’s systems, using their Aareon (previously 1st Touch) mobile data capture application to allow direct upload of the survey information into their asset management database (HPM). Throughout the project, we have worked closely with Clarion’s asset team, developing a strong understanding of their systems and internal processes for data handling, validation and quality control.

This was our first use of the Aareon (previously 1st Touch) data capture system, and it was critical to ensure surveyors captured accurate data and photos, minimising the need for client-side corrections before surveys could be approved and integrated into their system. To address this, FFT provided surveyors with bespoke online training before work commenced, followed by pilot surveys in void properties. This preparation ensures consistency and accuracy throughout.

Our experienced Asset Management Surveys team has provided expert technical oversight and strategic guidance throughout the project. Our project lead’s long-standing relationship with Clarion’s team provides a seamless understanding of their IT systems, data workflows and processes, enabling efficient delivery.

FFT contributes 1% of project fees annually to Clarion Futures, Clarion’s charitable foundation, supporting initiatives that transform lives and strengthen communities by providing people with the tools to overcome challenges and fulfil their potential.

“Throughout the five-year programme, FFT has shown great flexibility and focus with evolving client requirements, overcoming significant challenges from COVID restrictions, then subsequently the re-design of service and programme following our merger and systems integration. The quality control framework provides us with assurance that our data is robust and enables us to prioritise investment to ensure our homes meet standards and are safe for our residents to live in.”

 Gary Breame, Asset Survey Manager at Clarion Housing Group