Interested in a property management apprenticeship or job in property?
When most people think of property careers, the first thing that usually springs to mind is a landlord or an estate agent, but there are a lot more occupations in property management than you might think!
If you’re interested in the sector, find out how a Level 2 Housing/Property Management Assistant apprenticeship could help you start a new career, or take a step in a new direction in your current one.
Duration is typically 12 to 18 months.
Overview of the housing/property management assistant role
A housing/property management assistant is an entry-level role. It is customer facing and will see you providing administrative support to create and sustain successful tenancies and leaseholds in both the social and private housing sectors.
The job will involve working under supervision within a wider organisation and with external partners.
Work includes undertaking housing duties such as preparing paperwork for service charges, supporting consultations and undertaking property surveys. There will also be data administration, conducting supervised viewings and rental negotiations, handling telephone calls, arranging meetings and events and researching new initiatives.
The work is varied and you won’t be bored!
What housing/property management jobs might this apprenticeship lead on to?
The apprenticeship will prepare you for a range of general housing/property management duties leading to entry-level professional/management roles. Example job titles include housing assistant, customer services assistant, housing administrator, lettings assistant, assistant property manager and lettings negotiator.
What knowledge will I acquire?
Legislation and
regulation
You’ll study the principles and practices of
relevant landlord and tenant law, applicable codes of practice and relevant
legal frameworks.
Organisation
background information
You’ll gain knowledge of your organisation’s business plan, values, services
and targets, and understand how your role fits in.
Assets
You’ll get to know the social and physical context of estates and neighbourhoods,
as well as how to report defects, common problems, health and safety issues and
repairs to dwellings.
Customers
You’ll understand the diversity and needs of the
communities in which the business serves.
Context
You’ll learn about the current and historical context of the housing market,
including social and affordable housing, private rented and owner occupation.
Range of services
You’ll familiarise yourself with a range of housing services. For example, repairs and maintenance, allocations, lettings, tenancy sustainment, financial and social inclusion, energy efficiency and waste management, antisocial behaviour, care and housing support services, rents and fees, service charges and portfolio accounts, and community involvement.
Quality standards
You’ll find out about the quality standards of your
business. Examples include standards of the neighbourhood/property/building and
customer service.
Organisation policies
You’ll be acquainted with the principles, policies
and practices of your organisation in terms of customer care, complaints
handling, employee code of conduct, team
working, risk assessments personal safety, data
protection, health and safety, equality and diversity, safeguarding and
business communications.
The professional skills of a housing/property management assistant
So, you might ask, what kind of skills might be required?
First and foremost, customer service is a must. You’ll need to be able to provide a professional, accurate, timely, ethical and non-judgemental front-line service which meets the needs of a diverse range of customers and stakeholders. You’ll need to understand the needs of vulnerable individuals and respond accordingly.
Communication will also be key, as you’ll be signposting customers to services and working with internal colleagues and external partners to achieve individual, team and business targets.
You’ll need to be able to apply a range of administrative skills and be confident in using a variety of methods to collect and present information and data accurately.
Underpinning all of this will be good time management, strong decision-making skills and effective use of IT equipment and software.
Being able to exhibit certain behaviours will also help you thrive in this line of work. Employers tell us that their most successful employees are responsive, trustworthy, adaptable, dependable, committed, customer-focused and effective team players.
Professional body alignment and progression
On completion of the apprenticeship, apprentices will be able to join the following;
- Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) at Member level
- Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) at Associate Grade or Member Grade (depending on length of service within the sector and within the organisation)
- Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) at Foundation Level or Associate Level (depending on length of service within the sector and within the organisation)
Conclusion: a great start for property careers
As you can see, this level 2 apprenticeship is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to pursue a career in housing or property management. The core skills covered in the apprenticeship will open up a wide range of job and career advancement opportunities, and you will earn while you learn.
More great apprenticeship opportunities
We hope this post has inspired you to find out more about this apprenticeship, but if this programme isn’t for you, why not check out some of the other great ones on offer?