Housing Officer

Job description

Housing Officer

We’re looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Housing Officer to join our East London Apartments service in Tower Hamlets.

£, per annum, working hours per week. Benefits include days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel in control of your career? You’ll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren’t token gestures - we’ve thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

East London Apartments provides hour accommodation based support for up to individuals with complex histories, multiple traumas, complex personality disorder(s) and a varied, disrupted housing history with experience of homelessness as well as individuals who have been diagnosed with severe and enduring mental health conditions who are under the Care Programme Approach (CPA).

East London Apartments implements and promotes the Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) model. This is an approach which was developed to support people out of homelessness, in particular those who have experienced complex trauma or are diagnosed with a personality disorder. However, its application is far broader than only homelessness. It considers the psychological needs of staff: developing skills and knowledge, increasing motivation, job satisfaction and resilience.

The Successful applicant will be responsible for all aspects of the housing management of East London Apartments. This will include arrears management, occupancy agreement management, health and safety and maintenance related issues.

This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

What you’ll do:

Post-holders will be required to demonstrate strengths in all the indicators set out in the relevant Look Ahead Competency Model. More specifically, the post-holder will:

• Be responsible for monitoring and updating all relevant information on Look Ahead`s housing management database including inputting all new customers and removing old customers.

• Ensuring all customer`s Housing Benefit claims are made and maintained correctly.

• Requesting rent adjustments and repayment of housing benefit over-payments;

• Ensuring all customers are supported to have the most appropriate payment method (rent payment cards, direct debit etc.) for their individual circumstances to ensure easy payment of their rent and/or arrears. This may include third party deductions.

• Responding to any customer queries relating to housing management.

• Ensuring that all customers are kept informed of their rent account status regularly and that action plans are agreed with customers to address any arrears or other rent related issues promptly.

• Issuing arrears warning letters when agreed with management and, recording actions on the rent system.

• Monitoring the rent accounts on a weekly basis and inform the relevant specialists and management of any formal action required.

• Producing and posting all rent increase letters and rent statements quarterly.

• Maintaining spreadsheets associated with rent payments, housing benefit and legal action.

• Managing customer breaches of tenancy and issuing warning letters in conjunction with the support staff.

• Undertake health and safety checks to include regular testing, inspections and assessments in accordance with Look Ahead’ Health & Safety procedures.

• Prepare files and documents for legal action and present cases in County Court hearings for possession claims, money judgements
• Serve NTQs, NOSPs, NRPs as required.

• Conducting void inspections and monitoring maintenance requests to ensure response times are met.

• Co-ordinate furniture requests, recharge forms and key management;

• Conducting and recording health and safety checks, ensuring any actions required are undertaken in conjunction with the Fire safety Officer and support staff.

• Maintain records as required at the project under the direction of the contract Manager;

• Participate in team meetings, : meetings with the manager and undertake any training required for the post.

• Undertake any other tasks as reasonably requested by management

• Provide specific advice to support workers and customers to make back-dated claims for housing benefit and appeal over-payment deductions.

• Ensure that there are effective and on going liaison processes in place with key agencies such as the housing benefit service, Department of Work and Pensions, the Job Centre and local debt advice agencies.

• Develop and promote financial inclusion initiatives in the service such as advertising credit unions and local debt management advice services.

• Undertaking any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as assigned by the Team Leader/Manager
• To uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
• Adhere to all the policies and procedures of Look Ahead Care & Support plus those specific to the project including any statutory requirements

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

- Views challenging behaviour as a support need.
- Approachable, open & professional behaviour
- Drives change, enjoys dynamic diverse environments and demonstrates creativity and innovation
- Demonstrates significant confidence and high levels of self-esteem
- Demonstrates significant levels of emotional resilience and a positive attitude
- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
- Is passionate and enthusiastic about the business
- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
- Is customer focussed
- We welcome applications from individuals with lived experiences of using services

What you’ll bring:

Essential:

- Experience of monitoring rent accounts and managing rent arrears
- Experience of using computerised rent systems to monitor arrears and record information
- Extensive knowledge of welfare benefits,especially housing benefit
- Experience of liaising with housing benefit departments, the DWP and other external agencies.
- Confidence in interpreting rent accounts and using IT packages to run and create reports, identify priorities, and update records

Desirable:

- - years experience in housing management.

About us:

Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over services, providing support to around customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard . We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.