Housing Advisor

**TITLE: Housing Advisor**

**GRADE: Level 5**

**LOCATION **Housing Services

*This is a temporary post with the potential of it becoming extended

*Weekly pay

**JOB PURPOSE**:To assess a customer’s circumstances and needs, working with relevant internal departments and agencies to provide good quality housing solutions and support shaped around customer need.

**MAIN DUTIES**:
Main duties will comprise the integrated areas of housing advice, assistance, tenancy sustainment, homeless prevention, homeless assistance and case management. Decisions should be made in accordance with the Housing Executive’s Standing Orders and Board Scheme of Delegations.

1. Understand me and what I need

3. Address my immediate needs

4. Active case management to find Housing Solutions

5. Understand if I need to leave at all

6. House me

7. Support Me

8. Advice & signposting

The following are not an exhaustive list of duties

**UNDERSTAND ME AND WHAT I NEED**

Housing Advisors will:

- assess a customer’s circumstances by conducting interviews in a manner suitable for each customer, undertaking visits to customers in their homes/temporary accommodation, conducting enquiries and collecting information to understand customer’s need

**UNDERSTAND MY APPLICATION SITUATION**

Housing Advisors will:

- Undertake comprehensive investigations and make robust legal decisions and fulfil duties under the Housing Order (NI) 1988 (as amended)
- Complete a full homelessness investigation
- Write to the applicant to inform them of the decision and their right to a review

**ADDRESS MY IMMEDIATE NEED**

Housing Advisors will:

- arrange emergency accommodation, ensuring that any temporary accommodation that may be required under a full homelessness duty is provided
- effectively manage a caseload ensuring that cases are prioritised to reduce the necessity for temporary accommodation admissions and limit the time customers spend in temporary accommodation
- contribute to organisational understanding of housing supply as required

**ACTIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO FIND HOUSING SOLUTIONS**

Housing Advisors will:

- Take a case management approach to customer’s need, keeping and maintaining detailed and accurate records of action taken in each case
- make specific recommendations on suitability and affordability of housing solutions based on understanding of customer’s need
- Actively seek alternative accommodation in both private and public sectors as appropriate based on an understanding of the housing and support needs of the customer. This will include the day to day management, co-ordination and matching of applicants in housing need to suitable accommodation options ensuring that clients are kept appraised of the progress of their case
- Effectively manage a caseload ensuring that cases are prioritised to reduce the risk of homelessness or crisis

**UNDERSTAND IF I NEED TO LEAVE AT ALL**

Housing Advisors will:

- Provide comprehensive housing assistance on matters such as eligibility, homelessness, security of tenure, public and private sector tenancies, housing and welfare benefits, income maximisation, arrears, harassment, unlawful eviction, home ownership, housing support, and other necessary areas of advice with the aim of preventing homelessness and sustaining tenancies
- work closely with internal colleagues, stakeholders and agencies to prevent homelessness when possible drawing on resources and working in partnership rather than directing customers towards other agencies

**HOUSE ME**

Housing Advisors will:

- When applicable, carry out a housing assessment under the Housing Selection Scheme
- actively seek ways to ensure customers are tenancy ready when appropriate through engagement with other agencies, landlords etc

**SUPPORT ME**

Housing Advisors will:

- Follow safeguarding procedures and policies to ensure vulnerable children and adults with housing difficulties receive the right services at the right time including attendance at case conferences when required

Work with external agencies and stakeholders, including social services, health and social care professionals and floating support to help customers get “tenancy ready”

**ADVICE & SIGNPOSTING**
- provide any ongoing housing advice and assistance that may be required (in line with rest of duties)

**OTHER DUTIES**
- Management of performance measures in order to understand and improve the business
- Recording all outcomes ensuring they are Proportionate, Legal, Auditable & Necessary.
- Drafting responses to letters and complaints on behalf of the Business Area Manager pertaining to their caseload
- Housing Advisors will be required to provide cover arrangements within their office and to undertake other relevant duties, as may from time to time be required.

**REQUIREMENTS**:
**Essential Qualification Criteria**:
Have a degree [or a qualification of an equivalent academic level] and have a minimum of 1 year relevant experience.

OR

B Tech Higher [o