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From the frontline - Ali Owens
Ali Owens, tenancy enforcement officer at Green Square Group, describes how intimidating it can be to give evidence in court
Tell us about your job.
My role involves making sure that tenants abide by the rules of their tenancy, and requires me to investigate and take appropriate action if a tenant seriously or persistently breaches it. It means that I work closely with the police, preparing and serving legal documents, and that I find myself in court a lot!
How did you get into housing?
By total accident. Before getting into housing, I worked in a car dealership as a sales manager. Following that, I took a role as a housing manager for an extra care scheme, using my experience in a customer-facing role to run the day-to-day operations. This led to me taking up a role as a housing officer at Green Square and subsequently moving into tenancy enforcement.
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What’s the best part of your job?
Undoubtedly, being able to see a case all the way from start to finish – and hopefully achieving our desired outcome. Usually, successfully closing a case means I’m helping to restore harmony in a neighbourhood, meaning the residents get to have the peaceful environment they deserve.
And the worst part?
Being cross-examined in court. You have to be able to think on your feet, and to be confident with the facts as you know them. And you have to be prepared. It has certainly become easier the more experience I’ve gained in court, but it can still be intimidating.
What would you change about the housing sector?
Thinking about my children’s future, there should be greater opportunity for people to get on the housing ladder – there should be more homeownership schemes that are more easily accessible. I want my kids to be able to own their own home one day. I also think that private renting should be more regulated.
If you could be prime minister for the day, what would you do?
I would increase funding for the police force and court system immediately. I work very closely with the local police and there simply needs to be more investment, as well as a move to bring back neighbourhood policing teams. And the court system is under increasing pressure – here in Chippenham [where Green Squareis based] the local court is having to close, which will put a huge strain on other courts in the area.
What’s the most private thing you’re willing to admit to your colleagues?
To be honest, I’ve probably admitted pretty much everything to my colleagues! There are no secrets here! We all work very closely together in the office.
