Ensuring that buildings are in a safe working condition.

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other maintenance staff, specialist trades people, landlords and property owners, and the staff that work within or the residents that occupy buildings. Property Maintenance Operatives assist in the location of the repair works to be carried out, and to obtain further information and clarification as required from the customer, using a range of information gathering and communication techniques, whilst recording and reporting information in a variety of ways, including using digital technologies.

Whilst much of the time may be working inside properties, operatives will be regularly required to work outside, conducting maintenance and repairs to properties, including to external drainage, brick and blockwork, glazing, fencing and groundworks.

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Course contents

• Plan the sequence of work required to carry out routine property maintenance operations.
• Identify and select the appropriate materials and components for property maintenance tasks, ensuring these are compliant with relevant regulatory requirements and manufacturer's specifications.
• Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and requirements.
• Comply with risk assessments, and organise the workplace, to safeguard themselves and the property.
• Comply with key regulatory and legislative requirements, including building regulations.
• Uses safe working practices when carrying out property maintenance tasks including the use of PPE, signage, barriers, access equipment and ensuring work area is prepared and reinstated.
• Select, and use work tools and equipment for property maintenance tasks, applying all safeguards, and ensuring the correct functioning of equipment.
• Safely isolate and secure electrical or electronic supplies prior to performing property maintenance operations.
• Apply and implement routine emergency system checks, testing and routine maintenance, identifying and reporting faults as required.
• Perform maintenance and repairs to plumbing systems, including fault identification, safe isolation of supply, replacing components and clearing blockages.
• Perform maintenance and repairs to external drainage systems, including clearing blockages and replacing components.
• Perform maintenance and repairs to environmental and energy management systems, including fault identification, safe isolation of supply, replacing components.
• Use carpentry and joinery skills to perform repairs to windows, doors and glazing units, and their associated fittings.
• Perform repairs to plastered surfaces, including surface preparation, fixing and mixing materials and compounds.
• Use painting and decorating skills to prepare surfaces for decoration, apply paint using brushes and rollers, and complete sealing activities using gun appliances.
• Perform tiling repairs, including setting out, surface preparation and cutting around obstacles.
• Perform flooring repairs, including setting out, surface preparation and cutting around obstacles.
• Perform planned, responsive or temporary repairs to buildings or their immediate surroundings, attending to minor defects within either masonry, roofing, fencing or railing, groundwork or landscaping.
• Select and use technical literature and other sources of information and data to address property maintenance problems.
• Record and report information, using digital and written techniques.
• Inspect own work, ensuring it is delivered to the given specifications.
• Comply with environmental regulations and procedures. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
• Use and adapt communication methods for different situations and when, working with colleagues and stakeholders, using industry terminology as appropriate.
• Provide customer feedback whilst maintaining customer service.
• Escalates issues beyond their level of competence and authority.