Clan Gordon Letting Agents Staff Spotlight – Juanita Cappilati, Maintenance Manager
Juanita worked in banking in her native South Africa for more than 30 years before moving to Scotland four years ago.
Before that, she had no experience in the property industry and it was thanks to a friend that she found herself switching professions.
She said: “A friend of mine got me into a small property firm and that’s where I initially learned all the tricks of the trade.
“I did a couple of years as a senior property manager but there was a takeover and a merger and I started not enjoying it as much.
“That’s when Jonathan (Gordon, Clan Gordon co-founder) approached me about joining Clan Gordon. I’ve been happy ever since!
“It’s obviously very different to banking but I did have the background of dealing with clients and obviously I was familiar with financial matters so it all fell into place.”
From minor repairs to insurance claims – Juanita handles it all
Prior to Juanita’s arrival, Clan Gordon’s property managers would look after their own maintenance needs. However with the firm’s expanding portfolio, it became clear that a role to pull everything together was required.
There’s no such thing as a typical day as Juanita can find herself dealing with any number of maintenance issues across the 700-plus residences Clan Gordon is responsible for.
Issues are raised on a piece of software called Fixflo which is where problems are logged by tenants, with photographs, so Juanita can immediately see what she’s dealing with.
She said: “The first thing I do is look at the jobs that have come in overnight. I also check where we are with ongoing jobs and I follow up with contractors. I make sure we’re up to date on invoices, all the contractors are paid and I follow up on any outstanding keys.
“I also have to make sure our contractors have their public liability insurance in place. It’s never the same day twice.
“One minute I’m arranging a gas safety check, the next I’m helping a landlord plan a minor refurbishment. But that’s what I love about it – problem-solving and making sure everything runs smoothly.”
She said: “We guide tenants through simple fixes – like resetting a boiler or adjusting a thermostat – so they don’t have to wait unnecessarily for a contractor. That means faster resolutions for them and cost savings for landlords.
“There’s usually between 15 and 20 new jobs every day so it’s very busy but I feel I’m broadening my horizons every day.
“It’s my job to advise the landlord of the problem and if it’s something we have to get contractors in to sort out, I’ll get them to quote for it. If it’s less than £150 they will just get it done. If it’s over that amount, I’ll communicate with the landlord, get approval, instruct the contractor and then obviously keep the tenant up to date with progress.”
A strong team makes all the difference
With so many properties to look after, Juanita has seen it all – from the big issues to the ones that are perhaps less worrying.
She said: “With the recent storms we had an aerial blow off the roof of a communal block and it was literally swinging by a wire off the top of the building. Luckily we were able to get that one sorted quickly.
“And then this morning we had a situation where a kick plate had fallen down in a kitchen. Ordinarily we would just tell the tenant to stand it up again but they had found a dead mouse behind it and wanted us to clear it away.
“When we have people who are not originally from this country – myself included – we’ve perhaps never had to deal with a boiler before. It’s not always sunny in Edinburgh so they do have to familiarise themselves with how the heating works and we’re always happy to help with things like that.”
With such a variety of responsibilities and people to deal with, Juanita works hard to meet the expectations of both tenants and landlords.
She added: “You need to know how to get them to trust you and have confidence in you when you say you can do something.
“A lot of that comes from working with the team here at Clan Gordon. We’re a close-knit group, and that makes a huge difference. When you trust your colleagues and enjoy working together, it reflects in the service we deliver.
“There’s no sense of just filling a gap when they recruit someone, they always find someone who is the perfect fit for the team.
“That makes a big difference to people’s performances. If the staff are happy, the company flourishes – the proof is in our Google reviews.
“We’re not here to be the biggest company in Edinburgh – we’re here to be the best company in Edinburgh.”
There’s nothing I would change about my job
For all the job satisfaction and the happiness that comes with working with such a fantastic team, there must be something Juanita would change about her job if she got the chance.
“There’s nothing I would change, I have to be honest,” she says. “I’d like to be occasionally less busy but that’s not going to happen.
“Legislation governing safety in properties is changing all the time and we have to work hard to keep on top of that. We have good processes in place so we remain compliant and when things need implementing, we get them implemented.
“I wouldn’t change anything because our landlords are happy. We’re very proud of the fact that we don’t lose landlords because of the high level of service we offer. If a landlord leaves us it’s usually because they’re moving back into the property, it’s never to do with dissatisfaction with our relationship.”
What does the future hold for Juanita and Clan Gordon?
“I personally don’t think we should grow too big because I wouldn’t want us to lose the focus we have,” argues Juanita. “We are moving offices soon into a bigger place and I think that will be good for picking up information and knowledge sharing which is more difficult when you’re working from home.
“That helps us develop the personal touch which is so important when it comes to keeping landlords happy.
“For me personally I would love to be managing the property managers by then. I sit next to Mike (Brogan, Head of Property Management) who is currently in that position and I have learned so much from him, he’s my go-to guy on everything.
“There’s just nothing he doesn’t know. So in five years I’d want him to have moved up a rung and I’d love to take his place.
“We are like a family here and when you can see someone’s not themselves or if they’re having a bad day it’s good to take them for a coffee and a sit down. We can do that because we are a small company, people care about each other.
“I’m not just saying it but I can’t fault anything about working at Clan Gordon, it’s just a great place to work. I absolutely love the way we’re set up and I think we’re an excellent team. Everybody just helps one another. No-one ever says: ‘That’s not part of my job description.’ Everybody digs in for each other.
“In the end, it’s all about service – and nobody does it better than we do.”
You can read all about our awesome Clan Gordon team here.
And if you are a landlord looking for a letting agent in Edinburgh that you can trust, schedule a call with our business development manager here. In the meantime, download our Landlord Guide for all the pitfalls you should avoid when letting your property.