Venting: Pros and Cons of Staff Housing

 

When I first started looking at working in the Outdoor Industry I was massively put off jobs/apprenticeships that required you to live on site. I had my own life, was renting a house close to my friends and didn’t want to have to up sticks for a job, it felt like it would be a backwards step. However, since getting my lovely, rare, 9-5 outdoor education job one thing has led to another and I am currently living in the staff housing. 
 

I’ve always told myself that it’s different to any other staff accommodation. Yes you can hear the evening or weekend activities when you’re trying to relax on the days you’re not working, but nobody ever expects you to do anything for work once you’re home or to work longer hours or anything like that. In fact it’s almost like not living at work at all. It’s actually really good quality accommodation and somehow I’ve managed to end up with a three-bed semi on my own for the last 6 months, well with a semi-permanent live-in boyfriend. And it’s cheap, although my savings don’t reflect that after the recent ski trip! But a few weeks ago something clicked and I haven’t been able to help taking a less positive look on the whole living at work thing.

It started when I got a bit fed up of people assuming they could access the house whenever they wanted, without giving notice. I never thought I was a prude but I just don’t want the fire inspector seeing my underwear drying in the spare room. I asked that we get 24 hours notice; the request was ignored twice until I shut myself in with my boss in his office until he saw clearly my point of view. I now get notice, but not about what they are doing in there. To cut a long story short a private company is buying out our service and they are doing all over surveys quickly before they take over in about a months time. I found out today that part of the survey involved them having to go into my built-in wardrobe; I officially have no private space and I was really pissed off. At least the guy who did the survey looked suitably more embarrassed about it than I felt angry. Now even innocent comments that are only slightly related to the fact that I live at work are met with a forced smile/grimace.

Apparently the new companies plan C for the staff accommodation is ‘holiday lets.’ Who knows what plan A, B, D, E or F are. We could be out on our ear in who knows how long and I can’t really afford to move out, so I have no other option than just to try and relax and ride it out. I am, therefore, going to make the most of being able to save, walk to work, live in the countryside and have a big house to myself with off road parking! Maybe I can live with a few unexpected visitors after all…