Residential caretakers to be introduced in SATO buildings to improve residents’ everyday lives

A leading rental housing provider in Finland, SATO will introduce an operating model where the company itself takes on some of the tasks currently performed by maintenance partners. The new operating model will involve SATO recruiting up to 60 new residential caretakers in the coming years. This will enable increased presence in residents’ everyday lives and make situations such as home moves smoother.

December 2019 will see the launch of a new maintenance operating model in several SATO buildings where SATO’s own residential caretakers will take on some of the current tasks of SATO’s maintenance partners. The residential caretakers will be responsible in particular for work inside the buildings, such as work relating to building technology within apartments and buildings. Maintenance partners will continue to perform outdoor work involving machinery use as well as cleaning. The operating model will be introduced first in a few SATO buildings in central Helsinki and in Soukka, Espoo. The initial phase of the pilot scheme will apply to around 1,400 homes.

Two years ago, SATO took on previously outsourced building management services as an in-house service and recruited 30 new employees for the role. Investments in customer service have already had a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction. The introduction of the new operating model in maintenance will mean the recruitment of up to 60 residential caretakers in the future.

”We’ll continue to follow our chosen strategy and aim to be closely present in our residents’ everyday lives so that we can provide them with the best possible service. Those performing maintenance work meet residents on a daily basis, so it’s logical that, for example, the person visiting an apartment to fix a leaking tap is our own employee. The home is close to people’s hearts and our approach to housing reflects this,” says SATO Vice President for Housing Business Antti Asteljoki.

There will be five new residential caretakers recruited this autumn. Besides maintenance work, their job description will also include customer service provision supporting the service managers. The residential caretakers will also be the point of contact for defect reports.

The recruitment of the residential caretakers will also enable the easing of the apartment inspectors’ workload so that they will have more time for duties such as supervising renovations. The residential caretakers will also have an assisting role in contexts such as apartment viewings and moving-out inspections.

”We’ve noticed that the need for staff presence at our buildings has increased. By performing more of the day-to-day work in our buildings we will be able to get to know residents better, ensure the flow of information and at the same time prevent problems. We will continue to cooperate with our maintenance partners. Our own residential caretakers will work alongside them to supplement our housing services,” Asteljoki continues.

**For more information please contact:
**

Antti Asteljoki, Vice President/Rental Housing Business, SATO Corporation
Phone +358 20 134 4010
antti.asteljoki@sato.fi

Miia Eloranta, Director of Marketing and Communications, SATO Corporation
Phone: +358 20 134 4497 or +358 50 441 4221
miia.eloranta@sato.fi