NEW housing officer Abby Cottle has only been in the post a few weeks but she says she already feels part of the White Horse family.
“The whole place has a family feel to it and I’ve felt at home because everyone is lovely,” she said. “It’s a great place to work because everybody's there to support one another. You can't do a good job unless you've got the support from your colleagues and teammates.”
Abby’s role involves finding the right tenants for available homes and working with existing tenants and residents to make sure they are safe and happy. “We're there really to support whatever the tenant needs,” she said. “That could be helping with rent arrears or supporting people with the cost of living or helping solve maintenance issues. No two days are the same and you never really know what the next day is going to bring until you open up your emails or your answer your phone.”
She says she enjoys working with people. “That is essential because you need to be able to empathise with everybody,” she said. “You don't know what sort of day they're having so you have to listen to them and support them.”
Her previous role was as a senior housing officer for South Gloucestershire District Council but she was attracted to White Horse by the tight-knit feel of the team and the chance to work in rural locations. “I love the countryside and all of the villages in Wiltshire so when I found out that White Horse is all about building in rural communities and breathing life back into villages it was an easy decision to join,” she said.
Although Bristol born and bred, she moved to Wiltshire a year ago and, ironically for someone whose job is all about bricks and mortar, she lives on the canal in a narrowboat she spent a year refurbishing.
“I called the Boat Miss C and I love it,” she said. “Whenever I get the chance I start the engine and I just go out on to the canal and take in the breathtaking scenery.
“I've seen wildlife I never imagined I'd ever see, I've had a kingfishers sitting on the front of my boat and an otter on the back of my boat. It's just beautiful, I love it.”
Her other passion is her two labradors, Albi and Nala. She said: “My son Colby went to Australia last year so they’ve sort of become my kids now, they're my best friends.”
She said the most enjoyable thing about the job so far, besides getting to know the tenants, is appreciating the quality of the homes they live in. “What stands out is that the homes are just beautiful and so well looked after,” she said.
“The properties people are moving into are immaculate and that makes the tenant want to look after them. The first visit I did on my third day, I sat down in the tenant's house and it was so beautiful I could have stayed there all day.”