We grabbed a cuppa and sat down with Sarah, our brilliant Head of New Business, to chat all things City Guardians. From career highlights to what makes our model tick, Sarah gave us the inside scoop on how she’s helping shape a more people-first approach to property guardianship.
Tell me a little about yourself, any hobbies, interests outside of work?
Outside of work, my children take up the majority of my spare time. I love nothing more than being by the sea and especially love water activities such as paddle boarding with my family.
I also love music and have a few favourite artists I love to see live, along with cheering on my favourite football team whenever I can.
Tell me about your background in property
I have worked in housing and property since I was 21. I started out in admin at one of the largest G15 Housing Association’s and worked my way up. I went from working in lettings to being a housing officer, neighbourhood leader, team leader and then onto various management roles specialising in ASB and DIY possession for my region.
During my time there, I was fortunate enough to study whilst working and obtained my CIH qualifications up to level 5.
Moving on from this, I worked at another G15 Housing Association, within the Retirement and supported Living team. I really enjoyed this role; however, I soon realised that a long time spent working in social housing was taking its toll.
I moved into the private sector –– still in affordable housing –– but something somewhat different; Rent to Buy. Whilst I had been aware of the model, it was and still is quite a niche market. It is, however, something that has always resonated with me as a model the government should be backing much more. It truly is an affordable move into home ownership for many who would never be able to save the deposit to purchase a home without the scheme.
Following the pandemic, I had several short-term contract roles, but none that really gave me the job satisfaction that I craved. Until I learnt about the guardian model.
What drew you to the guardianship model?
I worked for a guardianship company on short term basis, and the model seemed perfect to me. It works for people who are ineligible for social or affordable housing but are also unable to afford to rent privately and are often stuck in shared and unsuitable accommodation, many even sharing rooms with strangers. The guardian model is the perfect solution for this issue, a vast majority of guardians are key workers, who provide care to the most vulnerable members of society and deserve an affordable, local home.
How did you come to work at City Guardians?
During my short time at the other guardianship organisation, I spoke with Rob on a couple of occasions to discuss his guardian requirements. Rob also felt a strong connection to the model and the benefits it would bring but thought that it wasn’t quite what it could be. He reached out to me after meeting with a couple of other guardian companies, and I explained that I was no longer working at this organisation. A few conversations followed, where we both discussed our ideas on how the model could be improved and what we would do differently.
Following this, Rob reached out and asked if I would like to join him in creating City Guardians. The rest is history!
How do you think City Guardians is doing things differently, when compared with other guardianship companies?
For us it’s the personal touch. Because we’re still a small business, we really get to know our guardians on a personal level, Rob and I are often out and about doing site visits, inspections, and even viewings. We love being hands-on, and that’s helped us shape our model to better fit the needs of both our clients and guardians as we grow.
What building/property has been the most interesting for you to work on?
Most definitely the grade two listed Hay House in Hythe, Kent. We have been looking after this property for the local authority for almost a year now. Built in 1804, Hay House has a rich history tied to the Royal Military Canal, the Royal Staff Corps, an even served as the Commandant’s House. It is believed that there are secret tunnels under the property which are an escape route to the beach. Having been in the basement, I wouldn’t doubt it either!
What has been the most rewarding part of your work here so far?
I was onsite meeting a client a few months back and met with a potential guardian who was looking to move immediately. There was something quite concerning about her mannerisms and the speed in which she wanted to move that grabbed my attention. Never one to let these things go, I asked her what was going on. She confided that she was in an unsafe living situation and needed to move away from her then partner as soon as possible. Luckily, she was able to remove her belongings safely from her previous home and with a bit of a push on our side, the City Guardians team managed to carry out all necessary checks, obtain references and get the licence agreements and property ready by later that evening to enable her to move. To date this has been the most rewarding experience in my role.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to property owners looking to protect their vacant properties?
I would offer two, actually!
Firstly, the most important thing to consider when protecting your vacant properties is to address the greatest risk; accidental damage such as burst pipes, electrical faults, ASB and vandalism.
Secondly, unauthorised occupation can be costly and difficult to resolve. It can result in vast loss of revenue, delays to developments, and planning issues. Make sure to secure your property, even if it’s only empty for a few days.
Can you share a memorable success story or moment that really highlights the impact of City Guardians’ service?
We recently took on a former Age UK building in Hythe. During the first round of viewings, we met a lovely couple who were employed in security and until recently had lived on site where they worked. Due to the site being closed down, they not only lost their jobs but also their home, all in the space of a day. Luckily, they were both offered alternative positions but still had nowhere to live. Having exhausted all family members, they let us know that they would be street homeless at the end of that week.
The City Guardians team worked tirelessly to get the property ready to prevent them from becoming homeless. This really showed me the impact that our model can have on those on low incomes. It highlighted the good that we are doing and how fortunate we are to be in a position to help others. I am very proud of our accomplishments at City Guardians and hope to be able to help many guardians over the coming months and years.
