You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
From the frontline - Ryan Spencer
Ryan Spencer, senior operative at Bournville Village Trust, talks about the value of direct labour organisations and his love of hot yoga
Tell us about your job.
My job involves going into empty Bournville Village Trust properties, surveying them to see what work needs to be done to make them suitable for new tenants to live in, and then producing specifications to work to.
I also manage the maintenance work itself, so co-ordinating different areas of labour from carpentry to plumbing.
How did you get into housing?
I had worked for small building firms and sub-contractors for a few years but wanted to do something more personal and rewarding. My previous jobs were a bit soulless.
At Bournville Village Trust’s direct labour organisation (DLO) we’re a team, and I get to meet the tenants moving into the homes that we refurbish, which I like.
READ MORE
What is the best part of your job?
I love most things about my job and have been at the trust for 11-and-a-half years. The most rewarding bit is taking a void property from a concept to a finished home. I’ll go into a void, work out what needs to be done, produce the specification and then deliver the labour. I get to work with different teams too, from housing to landscapes.
What’s the worst part?
I wouldn’t describe it as the worst part, but it can be difficult to deliver the standard of finish that some tenants want when you’re working with a stringent budget. With rent reductions, we have to work within our budgets.
What would you change about the housing sector?
Personally, I feel DLOs are the way forward for the sector. They provide a stable workforce that can be relied on and are more focused on service rather than profit.
I would like to see more communication between in-house DLOs in the sector, so we can pool information and share knowledge.
If you could be prime minister for the day, what would you do?
Definitely build more social housing. There’s a lot of people out there who are struggling to find affordable accommodation and are stuck in high private rents. I’d also have Fridays off for all.
What’s the most private thing you’re willing to admit to your colleagues?
I’m really into hot yoga and have been doing it for around six months, I did it to help my back and it’s improved my flexibility. Of course, the lads take the mickey out of me.
