Link Wentworth’s Tenancy Operations Support Team
With Team Leader, Wahid Jalili:
鈥淣o task is a big task for TOST鈥�
Q: Who is TOST?聽
I am Team Leader of the Tenancy Operations Support Team 鈥� or 鈥楾OST鈥�.
TOST is a great team; we support each other and collaborate easily, and we communicate well. The TOST members are Teena McLean, Lisa Hackett, Jodie Darcy, Zora Habibi, and Alison Zisti helps us out twice a week. We also have a current vacancy that will soon be filled.
I have been in this role since August 2024. I have been with the company for over 10 years, first at Wentworth for three and half years, then Link, working across a range of different projects, as Operations Project Manager, Senior Client Manager, Tenancy Team Leader.
Q: What does TOST do?
My team provides support to the Tenancy Team and other teams across the organisation, such as Rent Subsidy and Assets.
The key areas we work in are coordinating the PAS inspections, and attending to Tribunal hearings as necessary, and assisting with other projects. We also assist with smoke alarm inspections across all our properties, because smoke alarm compliance is a critical aspect of property safety and legal adherence in NSW. We work with the Assets team to manage inspections, often involving obstacles to access, or tenants with multiple or complex issues.
We also attend NCAT hearings as required, when there is an issue with gaining access to the properties.
Q: What are some of the more challenging aspects of the work you and the Team do?
One challenge that can come up would be if we are conducting a smoke alarm or PAS inspection and a tenant refuses access. They might be dealing with multiple complexities; in which case we must find alternative ways to ensure this aspect of our compliance obligation is being met with minimum impact on the tenants. Our work is trauma informed.
Q: What does an average day look like?
We have a 鈥楾eam Planning Day鈥� on a Monday, in which we assign tasks for the week. These can vary, depending on which part of the business requires the additional support. Some of the tasks we allocate include inspections, helping the tenancy teams, support at offices including front desk, and other projects and supports. We plan and prioritise tasks as we go, depending on what is needed.
Q: Who do you work with in the community?
We work with all residents, as tenant liaison and support, especially if there is a high needs or complex client, or complaint, or we need to communicate with them about all aspect of their tenancies such as accessing their property for different inspections, discussing any debt or credit and offer them support and assistance.
We also work with contractors, support providers and stakeholders associated with the Assets and Rent Subsidy Teams.
Q: Who do you work with, across Link Wentworth?
We work across the organisation, if assistance is needed, we come in with any task. This includes maintenance issues, supporting CXT if there is a critical or complex call. We work with the Rental Subsidy Team, to ensure Tenancy Managers have all the correct information they need.
We have a staff member in West Ryde to support the leasehold and the tenancy team. We are in Katoomba every Monday to assist with walk in tenant鈥檚 enquiries, and of course we are based in Penrith.
We recently finished a project where we digitised around 2,000 tenancy files, which contained data of current tenants – these kinds of residual records pose a risk to the organisation. We solved that problem and will be working on the archiving of more former tenancy files.
Q: You have three wishes to improve your job, or the sector.聽 What are they?
Well, I could not wish for a better Team or a more supportive, kind manager, so my wish has already come true there. For our tenants 鈥� I wish there was more housing, and that it was affordable, so that we could house everyone.
I would wish for more funding and support from the government. I remember ten or eleven years ago the housing waiting list was around 60,000 and it鈥檚 still the same. I wish everyone had a safe place to call home.
Jodie Darcy on being a TOST member: 鈥�TOST works alongside many departments in collaboration with teams, creating better functionality for all staff. The people around me that I work with put a smile on my face – and when we see positive outcomes from our work.鈥�
Link Wentworth wishes to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which we work and pay our respect to the Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.