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From the frontline – repairs and voids surveyor Joanne Morris
Joanne Morris talks about how she went from customer service to repairs and voids surveyor at Accent
Tell us about your job.
I’m a repairs and voids surveyor, so it can be quite varied. Mainly, I make sure all repairs are carried out on time and any issues are resolved. If things don’t go as planned, I work directly with our residents to get them sorted – and make sure they are pleased with the outcome. I also carry out inspections in our empty homes to make sure they are ready and waiting for our new residents.
How did you get started working in housing?
I joined Accent 15 years ago as a customer service advisor. I’d always worked in a customer-facing role, as I enjoyed helping customers, but in manufacturing, not frontline service – it’s definitely not the same! I’ve held a few housing and maintenance posts since. In fact, I’ve pretty much worked across the whole of Accent’s housing service.
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What’s a typical day like?
It might involve working very closely with contractors or visiting residents to check the work done in their homes is of the standard we expect and they are happy. It might also involve one of our weekly contractor meetings, or inspecting fire and safety work or void repairs.
What’s the best part of your job?
No doubt, talking to our residents. I’ve built up a lot of relationships and trust over the years, and it’s great to revisit those residents and see how their lives have changed. We are only ever invited to be part of their lives and knowing they’ve chosen us is a huge reward for me.
And the worst?
Not always being able to give people what they want. It can be difficult to manage expectations, but being honest and not making promises you can’t keep helps me have those more difficult conversations.
If you could be prime minister for the day, what would you do?
Simply cut the red tape and let everyone get on and do the jobs that they want to do and help the people they want to help.
What would you change about the housing sector if you could?
We need more support for residents to get a home and keep it. They shouldn’t be waiting weeks or even months to find a home they can afford. We need more money to build new, affordable homes, which make new communities, somewhere our residents can live, work and truly have a future.
