A day in the life of: Michelle Peyton, Housing Officer at Portus Supported Housing

Meet Housing Officer Michelle Peyton and read what a typical day looks like for her.

I’m a Housing Officer at Portus Supported Housing, covering schemes across Devon and Cornwall.

I currently look after 28 properties across five supported housing schemes, supporting people with a wide range of needs across one of the largest and most geographically diverse patches in the organisation.

No two days are ever the same and that’s exactly what I enjoy about the role.

Starting the day

My day usually begins between 8.30am and 9am.

The first thing I do is check my emails and phone messages to make sure there’s nothing urgent that needs dealing with. I like to keep my administration organised, so I usually work from home on Mondays and Fridays and spend two or three days each week out visiting schemes.

Some days I might spend several hours at one larger scheme. Other days I can visit four or five properties across Devon and Cornwall. It all depends on what customers and schemes need.

Out on the road

Some of the schemes I visit are more than an hour away from home, so planning is important. I try to group visits together and make the best use of my time, ensuring customers receive regular visits and support wherever they are located.

When I arrive at a scheme, I’ll catch up with staff and customers, check how everyone is doing and talk through any issues that may have arisen since my last visit. We carry out monthly visits, so you get to know people really well.

If customers are at home, I’ll ask if they want to show me their rooms. Many of them love doing that. We’ll often joke about how clean and tidy things are and what score they might get this month. It’s a simple thing, but it helps build relationships and creates a relaxed atmosphere.

I’ll then inspect the property, check communal areas, discuss any maintenance issues and review compliance paperwork with the care provider to make sure everything is as it should be.

Understanding every individual

The people we support all have different needs. Many of the customers I work with have learning disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and a range of other additional support needs. Every person is different and every conversation is different.

One of the most important parts of my role is taking the time to understand each individual. I never treat any two customers the same. I adapt my approach to suit the person in front of me, listening carefully, building trust and understanding what matters to them. For me, empathy is the most important skill a Housing Officer can have.

Seeing people flourish

One of my proudest moments involved a young customer who wasn’t quite reaching her full potential in her previous placement.

Working with colleagues, we helped find a new setting that better matched her interests and aspirations. Since moving, she has become involved in more groups and activities, built new connections and gained access to opportunities that simply weren’t available before.

Watching her confidence grow and seeing her flourish has been incredibly rewarding. Those are the moments that stay with you.

A different path into housing

My route into supported housing wasn’t a traditional one.

Before joining Westmoreland Supported Housing, shortly before the merger last year, I spent 13 years working in banking. I had also worked with children with additional needs, but supported housing was a completely new sector for me. What attracted me was the opportunity to work with people again.

Over time, banking became much more process-driven and I realised what I enjoyed most was working with people. I wanted a role where I could build relationships and genuinely help others. When I saw the opportunity to become a Hosing Officer, it felt a natural fit.

Through supporting family members with additional needs, as well as friends' children and others, I'd developed patience and an understanding of the challenges people can face. I felt those experiences would help me make a real difference in the role.

More than a job

People often ask what I enjoy most about the role. The answer is simple: the customers.

I love seeing people enjoy life, gain confidence and live as independently as possible with the right support around them. I love helping create opportunities and watching people achieve things they may never have thought possible.

Of course, there are difficult moments too. When you spend time building relationships with customers, you genuinely care about them. You celebrate their successes, support them through challenges and become invested in their journey.

When I was asked to describe my role in three words, I chose rewarding, endearing and a calling.  The word calling probably sums it up best.

I didn't set out to work in supported housing, but looking back, it feels as though I found exactly where I was meant to be.