Organisational background information

1. Housing and Property Management
Level 2
Organisation BackgroundInformation
and Rangeof Services

2. Aim and Objectives
To enable you to develop your understanding of the background
information about the organisation for which you work
Aim
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to: -
o Describe the impact of the principles, priorities and values of the
organisation on the delivery of services to customers
o Describe how personal and team objectives fit into the organisational plan
o Describe the range of services that may be offered in the social or private
rented sectors
o Summarise the core services that your housing or property management
organisation delivers to your customers
This could include repairs and maintenance, allocations, lettings, tenancy
sustainment, financial and social inclusion, anti-social behaviour, care and
supported housing, rents, service charges and portfolio accounts and
community involvement.
Aim & Objectives

3. Do you know
what the
different areas
are in housing
and property
industry?
The Housing and Property Sector
See the Housing and Property
Sector – ‘Understanding Sector
Terminology’ Handout
The property industry is a
diverse sector employing
people with a variety of skills,
involved in all aspects of
property across commercial,
industrial, residential and
agricultural sectors.

4. Within the property sector there are a wide variety of organisational
types.
Some corporate firms, often owned by financial institutions such as
banks and insurance companies, have thousands of staff and many
different departments dealing with sales, lettings, property
management, financial services and a wide range of what are generally
described as professional services (e.g. valuation of property of all types,
surveying and investment appraisal). Such organisations will have
specialist accounts, administration and Human Resource departments.
The Housing and Property Sector

5. At the other end of the spectrum may
be found the small firm owned by one
or two partners, maybe concentrating
on one single aspect of the business,
such as sales or letting and
management.
The Housing and Property Sector

6. As an alternative you may be
employed within property
departments/division of a central
government department or within
local government. Here you will need
to understand what the department
exists for and the contribution it
makes to the organisation as a whole.
The Housing and Property Sector

7. What is the
definition of the
word
‘principles’?
Principles, Priorities and Values of
the organisation
“a fundamental truth or
proposition that serves as the
foundation for a system of
belief or behaviour or for a
chain of reasoning.”
How might this apply in the housing and
property sector?

8. Principles, Priorities and Values of the
organisation
CaseStudy
Magdalena works for a
letting agency. At the heart
of her organisation is the
belief that when you pay
for a service you expect to
be treated fairly and with
respect.
What arethe‘principles’
inyourorganisation?
The UK rental landscape has changed in
recent years with greater numbers of people
renting but experiences are wide and varied.
While some renters have positive renting
experiences there are many who are at the
mercy of rogue landlords and poorly
managed letting agents.
The company vision is to bring individual
tenants together with their landlords and
that everyone deserves a fair deal. We pride
ourselves on giving a professional service.

9. Principles, Priorities and Values of the
organisation
What are the ‘priorities’ in
your organisation?
Priorities are a part of the
core culture of your
organisation. They are the
key areas aligned with the
organisation’s vision and
goals. They can be
uncovered by
understanding what the
organisation needs to focus
on and pay attention to in
order to achieve its
business goals and have an
engaged workforce.

10. What is the
definition of the
word ‘values’?
Principles, Priorities and Values of the
organisation
How might this apply in the housing and
property sector?
‘Values’ are the fundamental beliefs of a organisation.
These dictate behaviour and can help people
understand the difference between right and wrong.
Values also help companies to determine if they are
on the right path and fulfilling their goals.

11. Principles, Priorities and Values of the
organisation
Our values are at the core of our vision and guide
the behaviour of every one of us at Your Move.
They are to:
• Be people focused - Taking time to listen to
people's individual needs, treating both our
customers and our colleagues as we'd like to
be treated ourselves.
• Be passionate- The passion we have for our
business means going the extra mile to exceed
our customers' expectations and make every
contact with Your Move a positive experience.
• Be professional - Taking responsibility for
knowing the right thing to do, and actually
doing the right thing at all times.
• Be progressive - Always looking for new ways
to bring our customers the very best service.
Case Study –
hereis anexample of companyvalues…
What are your
company values?

12. What is your
understanding
of the purpose
of a business
plan?
Awareness of the business plan

13. A Business Plan is a written
document that describes your
core business objectives and
how you plan to achieve them
over a set period of time. It is
designed to help you, and
others, understand how you
plan to generate money and
make your business
sustainable. A Business Plan
often includes information
about your goals, strategies,
marketing and sales plans and
financial forecasts.
Awareness of the business plan

14. The range of services availableto clients and customers
Letting
Buying
Renting
Selling
Valuations
New Homes
Stamp Duty Tenancy
Agreements
Property
Management
Shared Ownership
Schemes
Support for those with
specific requirements,
low incomes, students,
families, older people,
people with special
needs and disabilities
HMO’s
Assured
Shorthold
Tenancies
Statutory
Period
Tenancies
Assured
Tenancies
Subsidised
housing
Emergency
Accommodation
Sheltered or
supported
housing
Partnership
Working with
other agencies
Which of theseapply to your
organisation?

15. Rangeof Services -
Repairs and Maintenance
What sort of records
do you need to
keep?
What types of work is
included and what are
the key stages involved?
What is your
company approach
to delivering a
responsive repairs
service?

16. Do you use a software
system to manage
contractors
appointments?
What is the
process for an
emergency
repair?
What happens if a
tenant isn’t happy
with the work
carried out?
Rangeof Services -
Repairs and Maintenance

17. Some housing and property
companies use software
that deals with works
instruction and monitoring.
They can provide a
complete works order
system. With automated
reminders for contractors,
works tendering and
allocation, and landlord
and insurer approval
processes to streamline
your management of
repairs.
Rangeof Services -
Repairs and Maintenance

18. Your company may have a policy in
place to ensure you are effectively –
o Meeting housing need
o Making best use of available
resources
o Contributing to sustainable and
mixed communities
o Balancing competing demands
o Ensuring equitable treatment
across all customer groups
Rangeof Services -AllocationsHowdoes your
organisation allocate
housing?
There may be a choice based letting
scheme in place. This allows tenants
to make choices about where they
want to live and the type of home
that is most suitable. This is usually
using a bidding, shortlisting and
viewing process. Usually, the bidder
with the highest priority for council
housing gets first refusal of a
property that has been advertised.

19. The information about how the
allocations policy works must be
made publicly available, so that
people know how the homes in
their area will be allocated. The
allocations policy will give
applicants a particular priority on
the housing register, depending
on their housing needs and how
long they have been waiting.
Rangeof Services - AllocationsHowdoes your
organisation allocate
housing?
Here are some examples of groups
who should be given preference:
o People who are classed as
homeless by a local authority
o Those loving in overcrowded and
insanitary housing
o Individuals who need to move for
medical reasons
o People who may need to move
to a particular location

20. Application
Verifying
Assessing housingneedBidding
Viewing
Signup
What does your
allocation process
include?
Rangeof Services -Allocations

21. Rangeof Services - Lettings
Valuation
Advertising and
Marketing
ConductingViewings
Tenant
Vetting
Services
Negotiating with
tenant and
landlord
Tenancy
Agreement
What does your
letting process
include?

22. What pre- tenancy
activities do you
carry out to ensure
the tenancy is
sustainable for the
tenant?
Rangeof Services - Tenancy
Sustainment
As the housing sector deals with a range of
issues including welfare reform, an ageing
population and the integration of health and
social care, the issue of tenancy sustainability is
one that is increasingly difficult for housing and
property professionals.
You may complete
Affordability
Assessments. In effect,
this is risk assessing the
incoming tenant and
then engaging
with them to put
support measures in
place to mitigate the
risk.
It isn’t just the rent that needs
to be paid: making applicants
aware upfront of associated
costs with the property, e.g.
fuel bills and Council Tax (or
suggesting other costs that
might be incurred, e.g. removal
costs, contents insurance or TV
licence) would better prepare
them.
You may
conduct credit
checking and
collect
references as
part of the
tenant vetting
process.

23. Financial Inclusion is where people
have access to appropriate and
affordable financial products and
services, and have the skills and
confidence to use them.
Rangeof Services - Financialand
Social Inclusion
Social inclusion is the manner in which
organisations understand and
engage their communities, as well
as how they explore, view, and
challenge barriers, values, and
behaviours.
What are the definitions of
these terms?
Thinking about the tenants you deal with, how many…
o Claim benefits
o Don’t have a bank account
o Have disabilities that prevent them from working
o Have other barriers to employment

24. Gemma is a Housing officer for a Housing
Association
The Roles and Responsibilities of Others
The aim of her role is to look after the
housing associations' rented properties.
Her duties include:
o assessing the needs of people applying for housing
o giving people vacant accommodation
o carrying out regular inspections
o dealing with anti-social behaviour and broken tenancy agreements
o referring people to advice on benefits and welfare
o setting rents and dealing with payments and arrears
o gathering statistical information and preparing reports
o attending meetings
o arranging for things like broken lifts and boilers to be repaired
o working with other agencies like social services

25. Jamie is a Lettings Negotiator
The Roles and Responsibilities of Others
His duties include;
o advising clients about the letting process
o setting up viewings and showing potential tenants around
the property
o selecting responsible, reliable tenants
o preparing tenancy agreements and inventories
o checking tenant references
o making sure all aspects of the letting meet legal
requirements
o meeting landlords and advising on rents
o arranging for maintenance to be carried out
o working with solicitors, builders, cleaners and suppliers
o handling any problems with the property
The aim of his role is to work with tenants and landlords
to let residential properties like houses and flats, his
agency specialises in student lets.

26. Marina is a Neighbourhood officer
The Roles and Responsibilities of Others
The aim of her role is to improve the local community by
working with the local people and a wide range of agencies to
tackle issues which directly affect them. Marina spends most of
her time out in the community.
Her duties include:
o Environmental management – coordinating services to keep the area
clean, free from graffiti, illegal dumping, litter etc
o Housing Management – carrying out inspections, showing tenants
vacant properties, accepting repair requests, advising of services
available
o Working with the community – working with communities to address
local issues, working with vulnerable residents, contributing to
community development, working to ensure that residents have the
right to the quiet enjoyment of their homes, accepting reports of anti-
social behaviour and neighbour nuisance, working with police, local
council officers and other agencies

27. Shazia is a Leasehold ManagementOfficer
The Roles and Responsibilities of Others
Her duties include;
o Develop maintenance programmes in association with the
Asset Management Team
o Support with queries around leasehold and housing
legislation
o Ensure that all policies and procedures to monitor, identify
and recover arrears of rent and service charges for leasehold
properties are adhered to
o Maintain accurate computerised and manual records
regarding leasehold service charges.
The aim of her role is to provide leasehold and housing
management services including fulfilling the landlord's
obligations required by the terms of the lease, managing
resident involvement, supporting the delivery of housing
services and ensuring that all current legislative
requirements are met

28. The Roles and Responsibilities of Others
Whatare the differentroles
and responsibilities thatare in
your organisation?

29. A Key Performance Indicator is a
measurable value that
demonstrates how effectively a
company is achieving key business
objectives. Organisations use KPIs
at multiple levels to evaluate their
success at reaching targets.
Key Performance Indicators and Team Targets
What is your
understanding of a key
performance indicator?
What keyperformance
indicators areyou working
towards in your role /
team?

30. Common Key Performance Indicators in a Letting Agency
could be agreed around the following:
o Number of applicantsin a certain timeframe
o Number of viewings completed in a certain timeframe
o New Instructionsin a certain timeframe
o Conversion % - Percentage of valuations converted into
instructions
o TotalLets- (further targets could break it down into fully
managed, rent collection or let only)
o TotalIncome - all agency fees and all arrangement fees
posted between a certain timeframe
o Available Stock - The total number of ‘Available to Let’
properties
Key Performance Indicators
and Team Targets
Find out what key
performance
indicators are inyour
workplace

31. o Complete the maths task
o There are two graphs which show the key
performance indicators that a housing
department works towards for carrying out
repairs.
o Analyse the results shown on the graphs and
answer the questions
Key Performance Indicators and Team Targets

32. A one-to-one is designed so that your mentor / team leader may be able to engage
in a direct conversation with you and discuss changes, as well as review
achievement and targets. You will be given positive and developmental feedback on
your performance.
A one to one is an opportunity to spend time in a specific, private, focussed
discussion in order to get information required to essentially review performance.
One to one reviews can occur monthly or quarterly to allow you time to change
anything that is required.
Key Performance Indicators –
One-to-One Performance Reviews
What is a One-to- One
Performance Review?

33. See the handout for more information on this process.
There is also a template that your mentor / supervisor can use if there is not
already a specific document used in your organisation.
Key Performance Indicators –
One-to-One Performance Reviews
What is a One-to- One
Performance Review?

34. Targets for NextSession
1.Revision and Independent Learning
2. Recommended Reading
3. Workbook / Brochure
4. BKSB modules

35. Reflection& Feedback
What have you learnt from today’s session?
Howwill it help you in your practice at work?
What doyou feel you need to learn moreabout?

36. Aim and Objectives
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to: -
o Describe the impact of the principles, priorities and values of the organisation on
the delivery of services to customers
o Describe how personal and team objectives fit into the organisational plan
o Describe the range of services that may be offered in the social or private rented
sectors
o Summarise the core services that your housing or property management
organisation delivers to your customers
This could include repairs and maintenance, allocations, lettings, tenancy
sustainment, financial and social inclusion, anti-social behaviour, care and
supported housing, rents, service charges and portfolio accounts and community
involvement.
Revisit the Objectives