One to Watch – Andreia Pinto, senior customer care co-ordinator, L&G Affordable Homes

How did you first come to work in housing?

I used to be a civil servant at the Department for Work and Pensions, but wanted to do more impactful work. So when I saw a job vacancy at a local housing association, I jumped at the opportunity. It was a job working in the repairs call centre as a technical advisor, and I never left the industry after that.

What’s your proudest work moment or biggest achievement so far?

One of my most memorable engagements came when I was the liaison officer on an ‘aids and adaptations’ project in a previous role. I supported a resident on a challenging five-year journey. Because of her condition, she was confined to a room on the ground floor. We remodelled her home so she could be independent and easily access the whole house. She was finally able to prepare meals for her family and accompany them into the back garden.

It was hard work and a long project, but the difference it made in the end made everything worthwhile.

And what has been your hardest moment?

At another job, I witnessed a resident with young children fleeing domestic violence and having to move into a home with nothing but bare floorboards. Why? Because the local authority decided to rip out the previous owner’s brand new carpets as the surveyor decided it might be a liability cost in the future – and did it without telling the new resident.

My team intervened and, with the support of some local charities, a company gifted the family new carpets to help them settle into their home with a little more comfort.

Who has been the most important person in your career so far – and why?

The person who stands out for me is Claudette Gough, my manager at Osborne Property Services. We worked together for five years. Her work ethic and commitment to customers were exemplary.

If you could change one thing about the sector, what would it be?

Quite simply, the letting standards should be reviewed. I know every landlord and local authority have tight budgets – but so do customers in need of affordable housing and a lot of them may come from vulnerable backgrounds.

In most circumstances, they have to prioritise basic needs such as food and heating over new carpets, for example, so it’s not uncommon to visit customers a year after they have moved in and still find them with bare floorboards. This may seem like a small detail, but for those living there, it does not feel like a home.

Do you know an outstanding professional who deserves to be featured? Email jess.mccabe@insidehousing.co.uk with your suggestions