Estate Contract Officer

Town & Country Housing; Tonbridge; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A housing association in the UK is seeking an Estates Inspector to ensure the quality and safety of communal areas across various estates. The role includes conducting inspections, liaising with residents and contractors, and maintaining high standards of service. Applicants should have a background in general repairs and excellent communication skills. This position offers a supportive work environment with opportunities for hybrid working.

Benefits

Pension scheme with matched contributions

Free onsite car parking

30 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Employee assistance programme

Life assurance cover

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent.
• Knowledge of general repairs and building construction.
• Clear written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Carry out inspections of communal areas.
• Respond promptly to estate service issues.
• Attend estate walkabouts and resident meetings.

Skills

General repairs knowledge

Effective communication

Customer service experience

ICT literacy

Education

GCSE standard or equivalent

Tools

Hand tools

Job description

To carry out inspections of internal and external communal areas of estates and ensure that health and safety, maintenance and cleaning actions required within the job role are implemented through liaison with colleagues and contractors, or directly if within the post holder’s remit.

To provide a responsive customer-focused quality estate service to tenants and residents in line with the Association’s key corporate objectives, working in partnership with residents and residents’ representatives.

Hours of Work:

35

Contract:

Permanent

6 months

Notice Period:

NA

Who are we?

We provide more than 13,000 homes across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Over the years we have invested heavily in our homes and continue to do so as part of the Peabody Group. We promote hybrid working and have more than 300 employees based in various locations across our operating area.

Meet your Manager

"Working within Estate Services is incredibly fulfilling as you can see first-hand the benefits that this service provides. I look forward to spending many more years with Town & Country Housing, with such friendly and supportive colleagues!"

What will you be doing?

Role Specific Responsibilities

• To ensure a prompt customer focused response to estate service issues raised by residents.
• To attend estate walkabouts and resident meetings as required.
• To recognise safeguarding, anti-social behaviour and other tenancy concerns and report to the relevant TCH manager.
• To attend monthly meetings and walk abouts with the contractors to ensure provision of good service and resolution of issues.
• To programme resident door entry fobs.
• Check windows in the communal areas can be shut, and that glazing is intact.
• Inspect communal areas for any damage, vandalism, or graffiti and to ensure cleanliness is maintained to the required standards and report all repair issues to relevant contractors.
• To be aware of TCH tenancy standards and report anti-social behaviour, incidents of nuisance, abandonment, or other breaches of tenancy conditions to the Area Estate Services Manager.
• Liaise with the Neighbourhood Housing Managers to identify improvements to the estates.
• Ensure that communal areas are free of combustible materials and obstructions, and that there are no electrical or trip and fall hazards present on the site. To tape off or secure areas that need immediate action and are within the post holders’ capabilities.
• To check and read meters, adjust time switches, and provide any other similar services, as required.
• To visually inspect all communal areas – including roofs, elevations, stairwells, garage sites etc. Record and report to the appropriate contractor with a record kept of the same.
• Carry out any minor repairs such as adjusting of door closures, or refixing loose or missing items, refixing signs, installing cigarette bins etc. as directed by the line manager within the scope of your capabilities.
• To inspect refuse areas ensuring they are tidy, reporting bulk clearance or major cleaning requirements to the relevant contractor; to remove inflammable or combustible materials to a place of safety – only when safe to do so and removed and disposed of in an appropriate manner.
• To inspect and ensure that refuse bin wheels, lids and handles are in a safe and effective condition making adjustments where possible, and where contractor repairs are required to report to the appropriate party.
• Assess general cleanliness and condition of site and advise the Area Estate Services Manager.
• Liaise with block champions/ representatives, and where relevant to remedy any dangerous or minor issues and report other contractual matters to the appropriate party.
• To check that car park gulleys, drains and traps are clear of refuse and report issues.

General

• To adhere to the equality, diversity and inclusion policy and actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
• Recognise, respect, and promote the different roles and diversity of individuals.
• To actively contribute towards the key performance indicators and professional standards.
• Work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Law and be responsible for the integrity of personal information you process. This may include identifying anomalies in data and investigating and correcting them where appropriate. Ensure you attend training on data protection regularly.
• To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant EC directives.
• To participate in training, attend other meetings, and staff events as required.
• Be an effective member of your team, presenting a positive impression of your section and the Group.
• Take responsibility for recognising and recording customer complaints, however made, and ensure that any complaints allocated to you are responded to within policy requirements.
• Maintain professional curiosity in all interactions with residents, be aware of and report and record any potential safeguarding issues promptly and appropriately.
• Maintain awareness of budget requirements and value for money while delivering your role.
• Consider and highlight any risk to the organisation or individuals whilst delivering your role.
• Consider resident feedback (the resident voice) in all service delivery, using data and insight and actively engaging with residents to understand their needs, views and priorities and tailor services accordingly.
• You will be expected to travel to our other sites for meetings, training etc as reasonably required by your line manager.
• Areas/locations to cover: Maidstone, Chatham, Dartford, Gillingham, Gravesend, Hoo, Sevenoaks, Snodland, Strood, Tovil, Matfield, Brenchley, Coxheath, East Farleigh, Five oak green, Hadlow, Horsmonden, Petteridge, Tudeley, Tonbridge, Pembury, Paddock wood.
• This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not comprehensive, and it is expected that other duties will be undertaken as this role develops and as may be reasonably expected.

About You

Education & Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE standard or equivalent.
• Knowledge of general repairs, building construction and maintenance; and use of hand tools.
• Clear, effective written and oral communication skills.
• Intermediate level of ICT literacy including knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work without direct supervision and organise own workload.
• Experience of dealing with people in a customer facing role and achieving positive results.
• Awareness of the requirements of the Data Protection Act and GDPR.

Behaviours

• Willingness to work outside normal standard hours if the needs of the business demand this.
• Determination to provide a quality service to all customers.
• Full clean UK manual driving licence for the use of a small van which will be provided by Town and Country for business use.

Why Choose Us

• Contributory pension scheme 4% to 10% matched contributions
• Free onsite car parking
• Life assurance of 4x annual salary (Terms and Conditions apply)
• 30 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
• Employee assistance programme (24/7 telephone advice, information portal & face to face counselling sessions)
• Corporate eye care scheme providing free eye tests and free VDU glasses or contribution towards VDU glasses
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave provision
• Access to an extensive range of corporate discounts on shopping, travel & days out
• Travel loan

Our Values

Our culture is about the shared values, beliefs and behaviours that determine how we do things, then the ways and systems of working that help to get those things done.

Our new values, principles and behaviours will put customers at the heart and provide the foundation for the culture of the new organisation. Only by delivering a cohesive and customer-focused culture will we be able to achieve our purpose and priorites.

We have taken an inclusive and collaborative approach to developing the following values, working together with colleagues, customers and the Board:

TCH is an equal opportunities employer committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity or paternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, or caring responsibilities.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join TCH.

We are recognised as a ‘Disability Confident Committed Employer’. As part of this commitment, individuals who disclose at application stage that they have a disability, will be invited to interview provided they demonstrate that they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Candidates will be asked if they require any support or reasonable adjustments to enable them to fully participate in the recruitment process.

Apply

Internal Applications

Please send a letter clearly demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the criteria contained on the job description and person specification to [e-mail] .

For internal staff only: Please note, if you're currently on legacy TCH, Rosebery, InTouch, Family Mosaic etc Terms and Conditions and are successful in your application, you will automatically be transferred to the new Peabody Terms and Conditions.

Additionally, if you move to a TCH role on a secondment basis, your Terms and Conditions will not change.

If you have any questions, or require further clarification, please speak to HR.

External Applications

Please complete our online application form by clicking the Apply button below. We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward, so we strongly encourage early applications.

Please note: As an employer, Town & Country Housing does not provide sponsorship as a licensed UK employer.