Discover what it's like to be an Estate Officer with Hastoe
We employ a number of Estate Officers to look after our homes and communal gardens across the south of England.
John is based at one estate in London and lives on site, whilst Mark is Hastoe’s first ever mobile Estate Officer and covers several estates in North Devon and Somerset. Although John and Mark don’t always know what each day will hold, they each have weekly responsibilities including gardening, cleaning and fire safety checks.
Here they talk us through their roles and what they do to ensure our residents receive a high-quality service.
8:30am: John starts his day by doing a litter pick when walking from his home to the office. He then looks to see if he’s got any emails or messages and checks his plans for the day.
When Mark turns up to the first estate he’s visiting for the day, he’s often greeted by residents wanting his help. He says:
I’m the only regular face of Hastoe that most tenants see, so I try to support them with any issues or questions that they may have or signpost them in the right direction.”
For Mark, interacting with the residents is one of the best parts of the job, and his favourite memory is of coming together with them to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee in 2012. He says: “To mark the occasion, I helped arrange a fish and chip supper for tenants. Community events like this help to break down barriers and get tenants talking to each other in a positive way, which in turn makes my job even more rewarding.”
10:30am: By mid-morning John is in the midst of his day-to-day cleaning of the blocks to make sure the estate is nice and tidy. He also checks the car parks to ensure everything is as it should be.
Whilst visiting each estate, Mark takes pictures, writes down details of any issues and comes up with ideas about how to improve communal areas, which he shares with the repair teams.
11:30am: As Mark is a mobile Estate Officer his day includes a decent amount of driving between Hastoe’s estates in the area - which he sees as a perk of the job. “I enjoy visiting all the different sites and driving through stunning locations, like Exmoor,” he says.
John walks around the blocks to see what other work needs doing. He often goes into residents’ homes if they have minor things that need fixing, like window handles. John has also started doing some initial inspections, such as diagnosing condensation issues and taking photos. He says:
I like to help and get involved with everything because, at the end of the day, I see it as my estate and I’m working here on behalf of the residents.”
1:00pm: Mark’s daily jobs are different at each location he visits. One of the estates needs its communal garden attending to, so he mows, strims and weeds the grassy areas. It’s clear our residents appreciate the work he does to keep their estate tidy, with one saying: “Mark has done a very good job this year in maintaining the green areas around this house. There is no comparison between this time last year and how it is now!”
John supports any contractors who are on site to carry out works by sharing his knowledge of the buildings. He says:
I always make myself available for meetings because I know the site better than anybody else. I’m familiar with every nook and cranny! When we had major works, I was helping and getting involved.”
3:30pm: Both John and Mark carry out essential fire safety checks every week. When an alarm went off in John’s area, he helped ensure everyone evacuated the building in good time. One resident told us: “John was a superstar. He helped vulnerable residents to leave safely.”
4:30pm: Back in London, John’s final task is reporting any repairs work. He uses his knowledge of our contracts to see if any of the work can be done under the guarantee and at no cost to Hastoe. He then locks up his office and does a final litter pick before heading home.
At his last visit of the day Mark sorts out the bins and recycling, and picks up any litter, which he explains is a big daily task at all locations. He says:
I’m essentially a front-line customer service provider. Having local people see someone like me, wearing my uniform, and litter picking in the neighbourhood, speaks volumes and shows Hastoe in a positive and proactive light.”
Interested in working with us?
Find your next job opportunity and grow your career with Hastoe
