Not just bricks and mortar – a career in housing is about helping people make homes

Today CIH regional manager Jill Allcoat sits down with Gentoo’s director of property Diane Carney for a National Careers Week chat about the joys and challenges of caring for people’s homes. 

Jill: How did you come into housing? 

Diane: I had just finished my degree at university and was looking for temporary work before deciding on my next steps. I took a job as a housing assistant with Sunderland City Council as a stop gap and was immediately bitten by the housing bug. I've never looked back!  
 
Sunderland Housing Group, and then Gentoo, came about following the large-scale voluntary transfer of housing stock from the council and over time has invested millions in our houses and in the city. Sunderland is my home town and I feel really lucky and honoured to work for Gentoo and be able to see this investment at first hand.  

Jill: Tell me a bit more about your current role. 

Diane: As Gentoo's director of property I head up the maintenance, asset investment and estate services teams. We also have a concierge team, who help provide our services 24/7 when everyone else has gone home. We have about 600 colleagues in property, and there are loads of different skill sets across the team which are all invaluable in delivering our services effectively to tenants. These include trade colleagues, administrators, call handlers, managers, supervisors, surveyors, project managers and planners - to name but a few. What makes it an amazing part of the housing sector to work in is seeing all these roles harmonise and having a shared focus on delivering essential services to our tenants. This can’t be achieved by working in isolation!

Jill: What knowledge, skills and behaviours do you think are important for working in a property role? 

Diane: Without a doubt you have to be people-focused to work in property. Many assume it’s "just repairs and maintenance" or "putting new kitchens in" or "cutting grass" when it's so much more than that. It's not just bricks and mortar, and it's great to see the sector has moved away from this approach. Regardless of your tenure, your home is central to your health and wellbeing, so it's really important that the people who work in your home respect this. You must be able to show respect and compassion. Enjoying working as part of a team is also essential, as there are a number of people involved in any property-related service. Camaraderie is key!

Jill: What are the biggest challenges in your role? 

Diane: The biggest challenge in my role is co-ordinating and delivering the sheer volume of work! We deliver more than 190,000 repairs and safety checks each year and are about to invest £40m in upgrading our existing stock in the next financial year. Trying to ensure this is all delivered to the satisfaction of our tenants can be difficult - but so very rewarding when it is achieved.

Jill: What would you say to someone considering a career in housing or who hasn’t yet thought of working in the housing sector as a possible careers choice?   

Diane: My advice is unreservedly to come and work in the housing sector. Bring your skill set, your trade or your profession to life by working in a dynamic and people-focussed industry. It's so much more rewarding.