Connect2Luton are excited to recruit a Housing Officer on behalf of Luton Borough Council.
Main purpose of position:
The Housing Officer is part of a multi-disciplinary team, including Anti-Social Behaviour Officers and Estates Officers who work collectively at both an individual and Neighbourhood level to provide a good quality housing management services that meets the needs of our tenants.
As a core member of the Area and Community Safety Team it is essential that the Housing Officers effectively engages with our communities, supports community empowerment and act as the primary interface with our tenants,
delivering an excellent customer focused housing management service that achieves the Consumer Standards (under the Social Housing Regulations Act 2023) and the councils’ objectives, with a focus on sustaining tenancies and improving quality of life.
The role will involve being largely area and estate based, utilising mobile working on a day-to-day basis and coordinating and facilitating interventions to ensure that our tenants are able to live independently as well as live in safe, well maintained and affordable homes.
The role will be defined to a specific neighbourhood and/or area with some flexibility under our agile working policy, to be able to work from wherever is suitable to complete the task at hand. This might be at home, or in one of our offices or within your designated Neighbourhood.
You will be responsible to:
*Responsible for the tenancy management of a patch of Council owned properties, with advice and support from the Senior Housing Officer on more complex issues, ensuring that all standards and performance targets are met, including but not limited to the Consumer Standards (Social Housing Regulation Act 2023), Awaab’s Law and Renters Rights Act. Respond to telephone, written and face to face enquiries across a full range of tenancy management activities. Operate in an efficient and customer focused manner.
*Undertake visits, inspections, tenancy audits, maintaining accurate and timely records and ensuring that tenancy conditions are kept to at all times. Ensure that properties are brought up to standard where issues are identified on audits and other visits working with other services, e.g. BTS, Children’s Services and Adult Social Care as and when necessary.
*Take all appropriate action to enforce the conditions of tenancy including the prevention of housing fraud. For all legal action as necessary take and prepare statements, prepare and serve notices for court, attend court hearings and carry out evictions.
*Carry out tenancy support for high-risk cases or for people with multiple compound needs, such as hoarders, mental health, drugs and alcohol, domestic violence and hold and manage a case list taking the appropriate actions when necessary. Ensure that safeguarding alerts are made where necessary.
*Develop and maintain a current working knowledge of housing law and best practice in relation to all tenancy related matters to provide detailed, appropriate housing advice and information.
*Deliver tenancy sustainability through the provision of appropriate support to tenants and leaseholders. Liaise with internal teams and services to ensure appropriate advice and timely visits are provided. Attend regular case conference and provide briefings/reports when needed.
Skills and Experience:
*Experience of systems and processes and undertaking administrative work within a tenancy management or similar environment
*Able to communicate effectively, and politely, in writing and verbally, with a range of people, including customers, internal colleagues and external agencies. Represent the service at internal and external meetings and maintain and build positive relationships
*Able to provide technical advice, offer realistic solutions to routine issues and deal professionally with matters within the working remit
*Knowledge of current housing legislation, regulations and practice including knowledge of housing issues, needs and operations
*Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, or equivalent qualification or equivalent experience, or able to work towards this
*Able to attend meetings and undertake work outside of normal office hours, including weekends and able to respond to emergencies outside normal office hours
*Full driving license with business insurance and access to own car or be able to travel around Luton and surrounding areas
About Us
Luton Borough Council have partnered with Kent County Council to create Connect2Luton, a recruitment managed service for all contingent temporary agency, contract, and interim roles at the Council.
Our heritage and being local government owned which means we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise within the public sector, with many of our employees having previously worked for the Council or have supplied previously into the Council, for several years.
We are an equal opportunities employment agency and business that positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.
Connect2Luton is a trading style of Luton & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Luton Borough Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Luton is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.