A day in the life of an estate caretaker

Tim Nugent at work

It’s a wet and breezy 7.30am when Tim Nugent strolls into the Kirkholt Area Office with a sprint in his step and a keenness to start work.

“I love the job,” he says – showing an enthusiasm that would be hard to match this early in the day.

His job as such is to keep the estates clean and tidy – clearing pathways, alleyways and grassy areas to prevent rubbish piling up and becoming an eyesore. In reality however, his job is worth so much more than it appears on paper. After all, who would enjoy living on an estate that’s piled high with junk and looks appalling? What Tim and
his four co-workers do is make our estates pleasant and attractive places to live in. In effect, they help to keep instilled the pride residents have in their homes.

Mr Nugent is in fact half an hour early for work, as he is every day, “I try to beat the rush hour traffic and the kids on their way to school,” he explains.

There is always plenty to get started with at this time of the morning as fly tippers have usually been busy throughout the night. This morning is like any other as he collects a used mattress and the remnants of someone’s laminate flooring that has been dumped ungainly in Kirkholt.

“I like to get things moved quickly,” says Mr Nugent. “When people see rubbish dumped in an area it tends to attract more fly tippers.”

He spends the day spot checking areas renowned for tipping and it’s not long before he spots another old mattress and a sofa.

“One day I found a couch, a chair and a bed blocking the alleyway”, he recalls as he makes his way to the refuse tip.

Mr Nugent works around Castleton, Meadway, Brimrod and Longhill and his list of jobs for the week can sometimes appear endless. Job tickets are given to him from his manager and at other times Housing Officers. In addition, some of his work is generated by reports from tenants. It can vary from litter picking to ‘vacuuming’ water from flooded carpets. He is responsible for the upkeep of empty properties and could even be called upon to rip up carpets when tenants have vacated a property. But he gets through it all with his ever cheerful and positive demeanour.

He puts his job satisfaction down to the camaraderie he shares with his colleagues. “I haven’t met a nicer bunch of people,” he claims with sincerity. “From the lads that I work with to the management. They are absolutely magic.”

“It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” he says smiling.

Tim Nugent works as an Estate Caretaker in the Rochdale South and Pennine Area. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing have a full caretaking team who are responsible for helping to keep our estates and communal areas clean and tidy. You will see our caretakers out and about collecting rubbish, litter picking, unblocking communal bin shutes, tackling graffiti and keeping communal areas clean and tidy.

If you need to speak to us regarding a caretaking issue please contact:

• Rochdale South and Pennines
  Dena Coleman (01706) 354222
• Rochdale North
  Old Post Office (0161) 273742
• Smallbridge (01706) 712 885
• Bellshill (01706) 867092
• Freehold (01706) 864063
• Lower Falinge (01706) 642220
• Heywood and Middleton
  Dave Allen 07976059458 (Heywood)
  Gary Williams 07976038177 (Middleton)

Or speak to one of the team at your Housing Office.

You can help to keep estates clean and tidy by:

• Ensuring you dispose of rubbish and refuse in your bins
• Not littering in communal areas or around the estate
• Arrange for the disposal of bulky items by ringing the RMBC Environmental Management Team on 0845 226 1800
• Letting the local housing office know if you suspect people are fly tipping.