When entering a Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) property, our standards are clear: it should be safe, clean, and functional. Here are the teams that make it happen.
Firstly, our Electrical Team and Neighbourhood Rangers work together to check that the property is safe to enter and to complete a pre-clean/deep-clean. This first step sets the stage for the work that follows.
Gareth Hendy (Environmental Services Team) said:
“The pre-clean and deep clean stages are crucial in bringing a property up to a suitable standard to allow other trades to work in the property. It’s not just about appearance; thorough cleaning ensures quality, safety, and comfort for the next process – whether that’s painters or chippy's that are next. Seeing the level of effort and attention to detail that goes into the pre-clean and deep-clean stage really highlights the pride our teams take in their work and how every step contributes to turning an empty space back into a home.”
Building on this foundation, our Voids Team instructs and oversees the completion of necessary work. This step is crucial to guaranteeing the property is up to standard.
Once our Neighbourhood Rangers give the property a final spruce, Housing Choices is notified that the property is ready to let.
Subsequently, we welcome our Resident Empty Homes Assessors (REHAs). REHAs volunteer their time to inspect each property, checking from a resident’s perspective that it is ready for a new tenant. Their involvement aligns with our regulatory and consumer standards, promoting transparency, giving residents a voice, and enabling them to hold PCH to account.
A New Perspective
All teams play a vital role, yet they rarely cross paths. As a result, our Resident Involvement team organised the opportunity for teams to shadow each other, depicting an entirely new perspective.
Ally Hood, Resident Involvement Coordinator, said:
“Bringing different viewpoints together helps build understanding, respect, and stronger partnership working. We see involved residents as our partners, as it’s important that people who live in our homes are genuinely given a voice in how we deliver our services, and it’s our responsibility as a landlord to enable meaningful accountability.”
During this time, our REHAs witnessed the pre-clean of a particularly challenging property, noting first-hand the transformation from a property’s initial condition to a ready‑to‑let standard.
Tracey Lowings (Resident Customer Focus Committee Co-optee) said:
“The environmental service team we spoke to said that this was not an isolated incident. The team sent there to clean the property worked hard to help the removal team, which showed true teamwork from both teams. This visit was an experience and opened my eyes to what the Environmental Services have to do. Not a job I feel I could do.”
Our vision, providing homes and communities where people want to live, would not be possible without this collaboration, and we are grateful for their hard work. If you are interested in becoming a Resident Empty Homes Assessor, contact the Resident Involvement Team on 0808 230 6500 or email us.
If you would like more information on our letting standards, click here.
