Non-compliant landlord appoints chief executive

Mr Killian will take over from Yvonne Arrowsmith, who was appointed as interim boss in November 2024. 

Ms Arrowsmith has a track record of helping providers that are facing difficulties. She stepped in to temporarily lead Rochdale Boroughwide Housing in late 2022 in the wake of the Awaab Ishak case. 

At Eastend Homes, Ms Arrowsmith took over from John Henderson, who stepped down in October 2024 after nearly 20 years at the organisation.

Eastend Homes was downgraded to a G3 for governance by the Regulator of Social Housing in May 2023. The regulator’s judgement pointed to “poor-quality data”, which meant the association had “insufficient understanding” of its asset base.

The landlord retained a compliant V2 grade for financial viability.

Mr Killian said: “I’m excited to be joining Eastend Homes as chief executive. 

“It’s an organisation with strong values, deep roots in local communities and a real determination to move forward and improve. 

“I know it’s been a challenging period, but a lot of important work has been done recently to get things back on track, and I’ll be building on those foundations in my role.”

Mr Killian added that he is looking forward to working with residents, staff and the board to “lead the organisation into stability, continuous improvement and growth”. 

“Eastend Homes has a proud history of involving residents in decision-making and has developed strong ties to the communities it serves. 

“I’m committed to the provision of exemplary housing services, based on an understanding of residents’ needs, that will contribute to thriving and resilient local communities,” he said. 

Jacqui Bateson, chair of Eastend Homes’ board, which includes residents, said Mr Killian “impressed us with his passion for social housing”. 

She said: “Daniel joins Eastend Homes at a time of unprecedented change for the organisation.

“Through our governance role, the board will offer Daniel our support while reviewing and scrutinising decisions to make sure that East End Homes operates as a ‘fit for the future’ housing association. 

“Daniel’s proven track record of putting residents at the heart of service delivery stands him in good stead to lead from the front. I wish him every success at Eastend Homes.”