A day in the life of... Gemma Jones Tenancy Sustainment Officer The Calico Group
Employee since: June 2009 Location: Burnley, Lancashire Previous employment: Neighbourhood Officer, Calico Homes
07:00 I wake up and enjoy my first coffee of the day. It takes me a little bit of time to wake up in the morning, so this helps! I let my dogs – Pearl, Ruby and Pixie – out into the garden and get their breakfast ready; and I will make mine later. 08:00 Before the pandemic, this would usually be my travelling time into work. Working from home, I now use this time to log onto my computer and check my emails and calendar for the day ahead. 09:00 I start my day by looking at the pre-tenancy checks sent in by the neighbourhood officer. Pre-tenancy checks involve making sure a customer applying for one of our properties has an income, and that the property they are applying for is going to be affordable. I also make sure they have furniture so they can make their house feel like home. 10:30
When I called one of the customers, she tells me she has fled a situation involving domestic abuse. She is with her child, has no furniture and is now staying with a family member. I make sure she is safe to talk and I reassure her that I can safely support her with her move. I provide her with information about SafeNet, our domestic abuse support service. We then have an open and honest chat about furniture and what support she needs. I complete a benefits calculation with her, which shows me she will be entitled to some help towards her housing costs. I also calculate what her monthly rent top up will be to make sure that it’s affordable.
11:30
I complete a form to apply for furniture for the customer I’m trying to support. As a responsible landlord, we don’t just provide the keys to the door; we want to make sure customers have everything they need to sustain their tenancy longer term too.
13:00
On my lunch, rain or shine, I like to get out in the fresh air and get away from my computer screen. I take my dogs out onto the park across the road so they can play and stretch their legs.
14:00
I pick up a referral for a customer who’s behind with his rent. He’s been furloughed and his wife has just given birth to their first child. Over the phone, I help them My apply for Universal Credit and we put an affordable payment plan in perfect working day: place for the rent arrears. He didn’t think he could apply for any help and tells me this is a big weight off his mind. This would be a day where I had a magic wand and I knew all of the I work thorough a list of new customers who have just moved answers! In my role, the level of support I into our properties and I give them a call. This is a proactive provide can be varied and complex as each way to make sure they’ve now physically moved in, rent is in customer and/or family has different needs. payment and they’re settling in well to their new home. The best feeling is helping customers work through their issues and feel like there’s a I try to wind down at this time. With my role now being light at the end of the tunnel; this could temporarily home-based due to Covid, it can be easy to give be anything from supporting with into the temptation to keep working longer than I should! My debts, applying for furniture partner and I like to cook different healthy meals each week, so or helping someone to I look at tonight’s recipe and we start prepping, ready for a quiet downsize. night in.
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HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021
