Property Services
During 2008 / 2009 the Director of Operations in conjunction with the Interim Head of Property Services undertook an in-depth review of the Property Services Department. The review looked at the team and integration of services as well as the resource and skills required within the department. The recommendations of the review have resulted in a proposed restructure of the department, which has created six new posts that have not been filled with applicants currently working for Friendship care and Housing. These opportunities will be filled through a recruitment campaign run in conjunction with Hays Social Housing.
The Property Services Team
Repairs and maintenance
Friendship spend over £2.5 million each year on repairs and maintenance to the homes they rent. Around half of this - £1.6 million - is on planned maintenance. Friendship’s rolling programme of improvements includes new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors, and in some cases substantial building work.
Gas safety
Friendship have an extensive Gas Servicing programme to make sure that homes are safe. The law says all gas appliances in social houses must be inspected by a qualified CORGI engineer every year - more than 4,500 boilers, fires and water heaters annually.
Direct action
Friendship recently overhauled the repairs service to improve its quality and efficiency with long-term partnerships with four reputable companies, backed up by their own property services specialist staff. They have employed new Local Maintenance Workers to deal with minor repairs and neighbourhood issues more quickly, cutting out the middleman, so that when a repair is reported, tenants speak directly to the contractor who will carry it out. Friendship places excellence in customer service and care as its core objective, to get things right first time.
