Liam Stackhouse joined Warrington Housing Association as a Finance Assistant in April 2022. Here he talks to us about what a typical day at WHA looks like for him and why working in housing so rewarding.
Where were you working before WHA?
DKR Accountants, a Chartered Accountancy practice in Walsall. I did two years as a trainee accountant, with the first being an apprenticeship. While there, I completed my level 3 AAT qualification and gained a lot of knowledge and confidence.
What does a typical day look like for you at WHA?
I provide support to the other members of the finance team working alongside Andrew Ward, reporting to Sharon Grady and Kirsty Capper.
I give them a hand with anything I can and liaise with suppliers, mostly via email, to sort out any queries either on their side or ours. I take any invoices that we receive and enter them onto our system. Every two weeks I help to make payments for all the invoices that have been approved. Once a week I will take any cash and cheques we have received from the LifeTime centre and tenants to the bank and deposit them into our bank accounts.
I prefer to work in the office, so I come in every day and work 9am until 4:30pm.
What do you enjoy the most about the role so far?
Every day is different. The atmosphere of the office and the relaxed attitude of my colleagues make it a great place to work. I found myself settling in very quickly.
What has been challenging?
There are some things I have managed to carry across from my previous job, with my accounting knowledge coming in handy. However, I have never worked in a finance role before so I had to learn a lot of the daily processes that go into the running of the business.
What made you want to work for WHA?
Honestly, the recruitment agency recommended the job and made it seem like an amazing place to work.
Safe to say, they were right, and I am very grateful for the way things worked out.
Now that I’ve learned a little more about the business, I’ve realised that working for a business that doesn’t exist solely for the purpose of making a profit feels great. It’s nice knowing that you are helping to have a positive impact of some kind.
What have you learned about the housing sector?
I have a lot, particularly regarding affordable housing but I definitely feel like there is a lot more for me to learn.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Playing video games and sports – football and basketball – and visiting my friends and family back in Walsall. I also really enjoy listening to music and will listen to music whenever I’m doing something if I can. My partner and I love our pets too. We have an old greyhound Alfie and two calico cats called Luna and Penny. I am trying to get to know Warrington as I only moved to Orford in February. The area is lovely and so are the neighbours!
