Roger Ellis – A Day in the Life of Maintenance Operative

September 3, 2026

For Maintenance Operative Roger Ellis, no two working days at Target Housing are quite the same.

Roger has been part of the Target Housing team for around a year and a half. His role combines planned maintenance with responding to urgent problems, helping ensure that properties remain safe, functional and ready for the people who need them.

A typical day might involve completing practical jobs such as fitting curtains or repairing doors. Roger can also be called away at any time to deal with an emergency.

He explained:

“A typical day will be normal, standard jobs, which would be fitting curtains and doors. But then, if there’s something reactive that needs seeing to—like a window has been broken—we board it up and make it safe.”

The video follows Roger as he works on an empty property being prepared for new tenants. It also shows him responding to an emergency water leak, illustrating how quickly priorities can change for the maintenance team.

We could be called at any time to leave our standard jobs and go and do these emergency jobs.”

This ability to respond is an essential part of Target Housing’s work. Prompt repairs and safety measures protect tenants, prevent further damage and help maintain homes in which people can feel secure.

Working across different properties also means that Roger encounters a wide variety of tasks, environments and practical challenges. It is precisely this variety that he most enjoys.

“What I like about my job is the constant variety of the jobs and places that we go to.”

Although much of Roger’s work is hands-on, being part of a dependable team is equally important. Maintenance colleagues need to communicate, adjust their plans and support one another when urgent situations arise.

For Roger, that supportive culture is another of the role’s biggest strengths:

“I work with a great team who are very supportive.”

Whether he is preparing a home for its next tenants, completing routine repairs or responding to an unexpected emergency, Roger’s work contributes directly to the safety and quality of Target Housing’s accommodation.

His story offers a glimpse of the practical skill, adaptability and teamwork taking place behind the scenes every day—work that helps ensure tenants have safe, well-maintained places to call home.