Property Services Team Leader and Inspector

HQN Ltd; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days annual leave (including bank)

Option to buy or sell up to 5 days

Free Health Cashplan

Canada Life WeCare Employee Assistance

Pension scheme

Life Assurance

Staff benefits portal with discounts

Essential Car User Allowance

Flexible working approach

Job summary

Squared Homes is seeking a Property Services Team Leader and Inspector to inspect properties, lead a maintenance team and ensure housing compliance. You will diagnose repairs, supervise contractors and maintain records for a diverse property portfolio.

Applicants should have a trade-based building maintenance qualification and Health & Safety cert, with experience in damp, mould and complex repairs. A company vehicle is provided, with agile working across properties in Luton.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising a maintenance team in social housing or similar sector.
• Proven ability to plan preventative and reactive maintenance.
• Strong knowledge of building maintenance and compliance standards.

Responsibilities

• Conduct regular inspections across Squared properties and manage damp, mould, and repair reporting.
• Line manage the Maintenance team and coordinate internal and external contractors.
• Ensure compliance with housing legislation, safety policies and service standards.
• Maintain accurate records using the management system and report progress to Repairs Admin.

Skills

Team leadership

Property inspections

Maintenance planning

Customer service

Budget management

Education

Trade-based qualification in building maintenance

Health and Safety at Work certification

Tools

Handheld device software

Job description

Property Services Team Leader and Inspector

Property Services | Squared Homes

Contract:Permanent

Hours:37 hours per week (Monday to Friday)

Location:Luton (agile working across our supported housing properties)

A company vehicle will be provided for business use only

About Squared

Squared is a not-for-profit housing association supporting communities across Luton and South Bedfordshire since 1962. We are a welcoming, inclusive organisation where people feel valued, supported and empowered to make a real difference.

• 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays), increasing with service (up to 38 days)
• Option to buy or sell up to 5 days leave
• Free Health Cashplan (after probation)
• Canada Life WeCare Employee Assistance Programme
• Pension scheme (Squared contributes 1.33% of employee contribution up to 8%)
• Life Assurance
• Staff benefits portal with shopping discounts
• Essential Car User Allowance (in addition to mileage payments)
• Flexible, supportive working approach

About Property Services

Property Services department plays a vital role in the smooth running of Squared by currently looking after circa 700 Squared properties. This includes homes, hostels (both internal and external) and office premises. The department has a small in-house team and also works closely with approved local contractors.

The service is uniquely placed and involves working across departments and functions on a wide variety of diverse activities and initiatives.

About the Role

The role involves conducting regular inspections, identifying maintenance issues, ensuring compliance with housing legislation, and working with the maintenance teams, external contractors, and our compliance team to maintain safe and suitable accommodation. To ensure surveys and inspections of properties are carried out in an effective manner the necessary work is specified and undertaken to the required standards to ensure compliance with service standards, policies and statutory regulations. You will advise and supervise the maintenance DLO team.

What You’ll Be Doing

Maintenance and Repair

• Conduct property inspections, diagnose repairs and identifying solutions for damp and mould and disrepair issues, recommend effective and cost-efficient repairs /solutions and provide appropriate guidance and information to customers as required.
• Inspect voids pre and post and create report on findings.
• Inspect and approve completed works, ensuring they meet agreed specifications, quality standards, and compliance requirements.
• Line manage and supervise Maintenance team, providing day-to-day guidance, support and oversight to ensure maintenance services are delivered efficiently and to a high standard.
• Ensure all engineer vans are properly maintained, kept clean and have a valid tax and MOT
• Support team with complex multi-trade repairs as required.
• Inspect planned and responsive maintenance work to ensure it is fully compliant and meets decent homes standard or above.
• Work unsupervised in occupied/unoccupied premises, alone or with maintenance team or external contractors, depending upon the nature of works required.
• Purchase relevant stock from authorised suppliers to perform tasks, in line with purchasing guidelines.
• Carry out mould and damp inspections, treating damp and mould within timescales and asses the cause to reduce repeat problems. Report on findings to Repairs Admin team and send the appropriate correspondence including letters to customer as per Damp and Mould policy.
• Ensure all works are completed to a high standard, on time, and within budget.
• Attend out of hours emergency situations as necessary.

2. Health, Safety & Compliance

• Carry out quality Health & Safety audits/inspections
• Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and Squared’s policies and procedures.
• Conduct dynamic risk assessments and ensure safe working practices at all times.
• Report any hazards, accidents, or near misses promptly.
• Maintain the company vehicle allocated to you (for business and commuting purposes only) ensuring it is clean, tidy and roadworthy at all times.
• Maintain tools to do the job, ensuring the correct PPE is worn when necessary.

3. Customer Service

• Deliver excellent customer service, ensuring customers are informed and satisfied with works undertaken.
• Communicate with maintenance team, customers and external contractors, advising on repair options and fault diagnosis.
• Maintain a professional and respectful approach in occupied homes.
• Provide feedback to the Property Services Team regarding recurring issues or potential improvements.

4. Administration & Communication

• Manage and maintain accurate inspection records, reports, and documentation using our management system
• Use handheld devices or work order systems to receive, record, and complete jobs.
• Maintain accurate records of materials used, time taken, and work completed.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues, contractors, and customers.
• Report into repairs admin team at the end of each job to provide progress updates.
• Support colleagues across the maintenance team to ensure effective service delivery.
• Contribute ideas for improving efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Participate in training and development to maintain up-to-date technical skills.

You may be asked to achieve additional objectives and tasks in order to respond to the needs of the developing service, as part of your own personal development or as the role evolves.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

You will play an important role at Squared both now and as we develop and grow. Squared is searching for innovative ways to enable as many people as possible to benefit from our limited housing resource. We need a driven person to join our team of like-minded individuals who are committed to meeting the needs of our customers through delivery of a high-quality services.

You will be an individual with a strong multi skilled background with the ability to oversee quality of work and carry out inspections. You will have a strong technical understanding of building fabric, defects, and compliance requirements, with the ability to write clear technical reports and specifications. You will be an excellent communicator with great customer service skills.

You’ll be willing to go the extra mile to get the job done!

• Full UK Manual driving licence with less than 6 points with the ability to drive a van
• Trade-based qualification or certification in building maintenance.
• Qualification or certification in Health and Safety at Work.
• Knowledge of building regulations, building control, compliance and relevant statutory requirements.
• Experience inspecting complex repairs, including damp, condensation and mould.
• Strong practical knowledge of housing repairs and maintenance.
• Experience supervising or line managing a team, with the ability to lead, motivate and support colleagues.
• Strong understanding of health and safety requirements relating to building maintenance and repairs.
• Ability to identify defects, assess risks and determine appropriate remedial action, including urgent repairs.
• Specialist training or certification in damp, condensation and mould diagnostics.
• Ability to manage workloads, meet demanding deadlines and maintain high standards of work.
• Experience implementing cost-control measures and managing repair costs.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills when dealing with customers, colleagues and contractors.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to develop practical solutions.
• Strong IT skills, including confidence using software and mobile devices to record inspections, take photographs and report job progress.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Meticulous record-keeping and information-management skills.
• Ability to analyse data and use findings to inform decisions and improve service delivery.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to produce accurate, high-quality written correspondence and reports.

What Will Make You Stand Out

You’ll really stand out if you have experience inspecting repairs within social housing, particularly complex repairs, damp and mould diagnostics, and ensuring properties meet the required safety and compliance standards. We’re looking for someone who can confidently lead and motivate a team, identify cost-effective solutions, and use their technical expertise to improve the quality of our homes and the service we provide to customers. If you’re proactive, embrace new ideas, take pride in high standards and are passionate about making a positive difference to our customers, we’d love to hear from you.

Why Work With Us?

At Squared, you’ll be part of a values-driven organisation where your work has genuine impact.

If you’re looking for a role where you can make a difference, develop your skills and work within a supportive and forward-thinking team, we’d love to hear from you.