A day in the life of...a Housing Services Officer

Claire Buglass is Housing Services Officer for the Jubilee estate in Westgate.  She’s based at Westgate Community Housing Office and has played a big part in helping to set up the Jubilee Magpies football team to encourage teenagers on the estate to keep out of trouble.

She told us:

“I’ve worked in housing management for four years and you never have two days the same here.  Anything can happen!   

Here’s my diary from a Monday in July:

7.30 – 9.30

Arrive at the office and make a cup of coffee – the first of many!  I was on leave on Friday so I’ve got lots of emails and messages on post-it notes to get through. 

After that I check my targets for the week on Web Intelligence.  I’m very competitive so like to know exactly what I’m working towards this week.  Every Monday I get my Web Intelligence report to check my arrears, re-lets and voids targets for the week.  

Tenancies that are ending end at 12 noon on Mondays so I also check to see what keys I’ve got coming in today so I can plan to go out to inspect these properties later today.

9.30 – 11.00   Appointment with the Technical Surveyor

The surveyor and I go to check two properties on the estate.  At the first, the tenants had done a flit and all the windows on the ground floor had been smashed.  The office had arranged an emergency board-up on Friday so we go straight there on Monday to check it. 

We then go to another property to do a pre-termination inspection before the current tenants move out.  We identify any repairs that are needed and carry out the Energy Performance Certificate check.

11.00 – 12 noon  Back to the office

I recently came into contact with an Outreach Worker from Places for People who works with victims of domestic violence.  She’s asked me to fill in a questionnaire about her service so I do that and pop it in the post for her.  

Last week I attended the Business in the Community Awards – I was invited to attend on YHN’s behalf because of the work I’ve done with the Jubilee Magpies.  I download the photos I took at the ceremony.

12.00 – 12.30  Lunch

12.30 – 1pm   Arrange a meeting with JN Dunnes

JN Dunnes are the Modern Homes construction partner on the Jubilee estate.  I’ve had a lot of contact with them while they’ve been on site delivering Modern Homes packages.  They’ve offered to donate some money to the Jubilee Magpies to help them get a new strip.  I arrange a meeting for later in the week with me, the Neighbourhood Wardens, the police and the director of JN Dunnes so we can tell him more about the project. 

1pm – 2.00pm  Property inspections

The keys for the tenancies that ended today came in on time so I go out to check that everything is ok at the properties.  When I’m on my way back to the office I notice some brickwork that needs to be repaired so I make a note to myself to report it to Envirocall when I get back to the office.

2.00 – 3.00pm Garage sign up

One of the keys that came in was for a garage so I sign it straight up to a tenant on the estate who has a car and who was concerned about it being damaged due to the anti social behaviour problems on the estate.  The tenant pops into the office and we go through the garage sign up in the interview room.

3.00 – 4.00pm  Safer Estates meeting

I have an information sharing meeting with the police, Neighbourhood Wardens and our HASBET officer.  We talk about potential problems that individuals on the estate might be causing so we can take steps to deal with them when necessary.

4.00 – 4.30pm

For the last half hour I go back to my desk, get another coffee and once again go through my emails, and see if I have any paperwork that needs to be done before I leave.   Every other week I go to a tenants’ meeting at St Pauls church but there’s no meeting tonight so I head straight home at 4.30pm.