Laura Ajiri-Evans
Colchester
Summary
I am a focused, confident and reliable person with over fifteen years experience of providing excellent customer service and over 4 and a half years of working in property management. I enjoy solving problems and remain calm under pressure, I am a naturally caring person, highly motivated and organised. Over the past few years, I have gained a broad awareness of tenant issues and this and my counselling training has enhanced my interpersonal and communication skills to advise tenants and resolve complex issues. I am able to relate well to vulnerable adults, young people and children due to my experience of working in social housing and my previous work with children and young people with special needs.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
- I assisted in entering data for an online progression guide which was published and is a source of information for students graduating from further education to guide them in making decisions and options available in higher education.
Finance Team
Peabody Trust
06.2014 - Current
- I manage the rent accounts for tenants across Essex in general needs and supported housing, the supported housing includes schemes for young people, young mothers, those with learning difficulties and those with mental health problems
- Many of the tenants housed are vulnerable, especially those in the supported accommodation, I am responsible for making sure they manage their rent accounts and that payments are made on time and payment plans put in place
- My role involves calling residents who have missed payments, sending out letters, helping tenants look at their budgeting, referring them for support and money advice if necessary, referring them for food bank vouchers, making court and eviction applications and attending court hearings
- I also liaise with social workers, mental health workers, support workers, the DWP, Local Authorities and other professionals regarding tenants' rent payments and budgeting needs.
Property Manager
Stone Lodge Hotels Ltd
07.2009 - 03.2014
- Being first point of contact for tenants and team members reporting to me
- Collection of rent and following up rent arrears
- Managing repairs and voids of over 250 units
- Liaising with several different Local Authorities Temporary Accommodation Teams, Leaving Care Teams and Social workers, with regards to accommodating their clients
- Inspecting or managing the inspection of vacant properties, and grounds of properties and organising the necessary, cleaning, amendments and repairs
- Eliminating voids (advertising vacancies and organising and undertaking viewings of properties)
- Dealing with tenant matters including queries, concerns, complaints
- Completing tenancy agreements with new tenants
- Filling in Housing Benefit forms on behalf of tenants
- If necessary supporting vulnerable Tenants with their basic support needs including form filling and telephone calls
- Resolving sensitive Tenant matters, dealing with anti social behaviour and conflicts between Tenants or Tenants and neighbours
- Reviewing referrals for Tenants from homeless organisations, and Interviewing potential Tenants to see if they were suitable for the accommodation offered
- Inspecting landlord’s properties across London to see suitability for Tenants and work needed to bring properties up to company standards.
IPOP Barnet
03.2008 - 10.2011
- This work was part time and involved supporting young people and children to integrate in play activities with mainstream play activities
- I supported them in play activities and residential weekends where I helped them to join in various outdoor pursuits including sailing and rock climbing
- Additionally I helped them with their personal care and any other needs that occured during my work with them.
Counselling Pastoral Trust, Fulham
07.2009 - 04.2010
- Counselling work
- As a trainee therapist, during out of work hours, I provided Psychodynamic and Schema therapy to an individual client, and also co-facilitated a women’s group, where I assisted in providing Psychodynamic therapy to a group of women with anxiety and depression.
Northway School Mill Hill
03.2006 - 07.2009
- Work in a Special Needs school where I initially gave one to one support for a non-verbal child with severe learning difficulties and physically challenging behaviour
- The following academic year I worked as a teaching assistant in a class of children with autism
- My final role was working with a Deaf boy with slight autism and behavioural difficulties; I assisted him with his learning and helped to communicate with him using British Sign Language.
Resources for Autism (RFA), Finchley Road, London
03.2008 - 05.2009
- Part-time play worker, working school holidays, occasional weekends and evenings with children and young people from ages 8 – 19 on the autistic spectrum
- This work involved play based activities on site at the RFA centre and also taking the children and young people out for daytrips to various places in school holiday times
- I supported them wherever necessary with their needs including personal care.
Advanced Sales Advisor
Topshop Oxford Circus
01.2003 - 03.2006
- I assisted the manager and other supervisors in the running of the shoe department
- My responsibilities included, supervising up to thirty-eight members of staff, organising the sales floor, and maintaining good customer service in the flagship store, in an extremely busy, fast-paced environment.
University Of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
05.2002 - 07.2002
- Temping - secretarial work, which included filing, typing, data entry, emailing, taking calls and organising catering services.
Sales Assistant
Safeway, Hatfield Rd, St Albans
03.1999 - 05.2002
- Sales Assistant in the main store, where I undertook a variety of roles including working on the customer service desk, being a cashier, working as a stock replenisher, working in the bakery, working on the noodle bar and then becoming a dry cleaning assistant in the Dry Cleaning department
- This work involved taking in clothes, dry cleaning and washing them, ironing and bagging them for collection.
Saturday Sales Assistant
Boots the Chemists, St Peters Street, St Albans
07.1997 - 03.1999
- Saturday Sales Assistant on the Fragrance Counter, responsible for promoting and selling perfume to customers
Education
Higher Diploma in Counselling -
CPT Fulham Palace, Bishops Avenue, Fulham, London
01.2011
A levels -
Beaumont School, Oakwood Drive, St Albans. Herts.
01.2000
BSc (Hons) Psychology -
Roehampton University
01.2005
GCSE's -
Beaumont School, Oakwood Drive, St Albans
01.1998
Skills
- Attention to Detail
- Self-Directed
- Dependable and Responsible
- Organizational Skills
Community Work
Sanctuary Project, 2006, 2007, This was a project based in Hackney London where I was a volunteer, it involved talking to and befriending homeless people and providing meals them if they required them.
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 10/20/81
- Nationality: British
Training
Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS), 2013, Wandsworth Council British Sign Language Level 1, 2009 Team Teach, 2007, Positive Handling Techniques Makaton sign language course Levels 1-4, 2007
Timeline
Finance Team
Peabody Trust
06.2014 - Current
Property Manager
Stone Lodge Hotels Ltd
07.2009 - 03.2014
Counselling Pastoral Trust, Fulham
07.2009 - 04.2010
IPOP Barnet
03.2008 - 10.2011
Resources for Autism (RFA), Finchley Road, London
03.2008 - 05.2009
Northway School Mill Hill
03.2006 - 07.2009
Advanced Sales Advisor
Topshop Oxford Circus
01.2003 - 03.2006
University Of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
05.2002 - 07.2002
Sales Assistant
Safeway, Hatfield Rd, St Albans
03.1999 - 05.2002
Saturday Sales Assistant
Boots the Chemists, St Peters Street, St Albans
07.1997 - 03.1999
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
Higher Diploma in Counselling -
CPT Fulham Palace, Bishops Avenue, Fulham, London
A levels -
Beaumont School, Oakwood Drive, St Albans. Herts.
BSc (Hons) Psychology -
Roehampton University
GCSE's -
Beaumont School, Oakwood Drive, St Albans
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