Drying and Restoration Technician

Hastings Direct; Budock Water; Remote; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Annual bonus

Life assurance (4x salary)

Income protection

Pension contributions (matched up to ;

Discounts & cashback

Cycle to work

Job summary

Hastings Direct is seeking a Drying and Restoration Technician to work remotely in a field-based capacity across the UK. You will visit customers to evaluate claims, remove debris, install drying equipment, and manage the claim onsite as it progresses toward settlement and repairs.

The role requires hands-on restoration experience, knowledge of health and safety, and the ability to travel. Training and career development are provided within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in flood and escape of water damage management and restoration best practices.
• Proactive diary management and handling high claim volumes.
• Qualification in drying and restoration (BDMA or equivalent) is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Deliver accurate scopes for building works and drying programs.
• Communicate settlement plans and arrange accommodation or repairs.
• Travel to various customer locations and manage equipment/vehicle.
• Escalate complex cases with solutions to ensure swift claim resolution.
• Contribute to best practices and improve processes.

Skills

Flood restoration

Escape of water

Health & safety

Diary management

Customer care

IT systems

Education

BDMA or equivalent

Tools

CoreLogic

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Job Title: Drying and Restoration Technician

Location: Homeworker/Remote (Field Based)

Welcome to Hastings Direct

We’re a digital insurance provider with ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. We’ve made huge investments in our data and tech capabilities over the past few years, along with nurturing our 4Cs culture. We’re proud of the journey we’re on as a company and know that our continued success will rely on the contribution of our talented colleagues.

We provide insurance for over four million customers, but we know there’s even bigger opportunity out there. The fact you’re now reading this job advert means we’ve tempted you to find out more about – we really hope you like what you see, and you’ll join us to share in the success of the exciting chapter that lies ahead.

We understand some people may not apply for jobs unless they feel they tick every box. If you’re excited about joining us and think you have some of what we’re looking for, even if you’re not 100% sure we would love to hear from you.

Role Overview

Our growing Drying and Restoration Team are responsible for visiting our customers to help evaluate their claim, taking immediate and urgent action to remove debris and install the relevant equipment to restore the customer’s home. They’ll project manage the customer’s claim onsite, offer immediate settlement or be their key point of contact until building repairs commence.

Job details – you’ll need to have demonstrable experience in:

• Deliver accurate scopes for building works, repair and installation of drying programs in a safe manner, ensuring compliance with health & safety standards, safe systems of work, and COSHH regulations
• Identify and implement best practices for escape of water incidents, maintaining accurate IT records and ensuring effective restoration planningWork closely with customers to agree settlement plans, arrange alternative accommodation or temporary solutions, and ensure a smooth claims journey
• Manage and maintain company-provided equipment and vehicle and will be expected to travel to various locations throughout the week
• Escalate complex cases with proposed solutions, collaborating with Surveying Leads and supply chain partners to ensure efficient claim resolution and deliver a seamless experience for policyholders throughout the claims journey
• Continuously develop your skills with operational support, contributing to best practices, policy improvements, and driving efficient drying times and settlements

Essential Skills/experience

• Extensive experience in flood and escape of water damage management, with strong knowledge of restoration best practices, health & safety regulations, and relevant legislation
• Proven expertise across all damage perils and restoration scenarios, including hands‑on use of specialist tools and equipment, with a proactive approach to diary management and claim volumes
• A qualification in drying and restoration (e.g. BDMA) or an equivalent is desirable, alongside essential experience in domestic property claims and a strong commitment to customer care and professionalism
• Physically capable of property strip-outs and equipment handling, with full use of a company vehicle provided
• Proficient in IT systems and claims management software(e.g., CoreLogic, Microsoft Teams), with a clean driving licence and subject to DBS and ID checks
• Positive, adaptable attitude with a willingness to learn, supported by ongoing training to enhance technical skills and career development

The interview process

• Recruiter intro/screening call
• 1st stage interview with hiring leader
• 2nd interview with hiring leaders leader

As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive – what this means to you is if you’re applying for a job with us, you’ll have fair access to support and adjustments throughout your recruitment journey. We also welcome applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). For more information on the DCS, please visit our inclusive business page on our careers website.

Regrettably, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Benefits:

In addition to a competitive salary, you will also receive…

Flexible working

we champion a flexible hybrid working approach – please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail

Competitive bonus scheme

all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus

Financial wellbeing

as well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%, we are proud to provide you with an award-winning package which includes – discounts, cashback, free independent mortgage advice and free access to financial wellbeing support

Mental wellbeing programme

we have the thrive mental health app, our colleague assistance programme available 24/7, our own in-house mental health first aiders, support groups and a dedicated team to make sure we are covering your needs

There's more!

25 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one of your weeks, access to our health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, Cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free onsite facilities, social events throughout the year and much more...

Join us and you’ll find a different way of doing things. We call it the 4Cs. We focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company and community. As one of our colleagues, you’ll be helping to drive our growth, so in return, we’ll give you all the support, training and development you need. Our 4Cs principles are simple: we believe by creating the right culture for our colleagues and giving them the right tools to do their job, we’ll deliver good outcomes for every customer, helping us to grow the company profitably and sustainably and allowing us to invest in the communities we serve.

Hastings Group is an equal opportunities employer which means we treat people fairly. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please also note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks.

At Hastings Direct, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we encourage you to be open with us. Our recruitment team is here to provide the support you need to ensure a fair and accessible experience for all.