Housing Officer

Seven Resourcing are looking for a Housing Officer to work in Stoke-on-Trent . This position is initially for a period of 3 months and is paying between £16.26h PAYE or £20.24ph Umbrella. This role is full time Monday to Friday working from 9am - 5pm

The role:

To manage the Council's Housing Standards services including Clearance, Home Improvements, Empty Properties, Selective Licensing, HMOs, Enforcement and Healthy Homes services; to ensure that private sector housing programmes are successfully implemented, monitored, and delivered on time and within the capital programme budget available and that housing standards across the borough continue to improve.

Key Responsibilities:

To provide housing management services with a designated work area including:

Tenancy management

Management of Anti-social behaviour

Estate management

Identification of Tenancy support, advice and referral to appropriate agencies

Tenant consultation and participation

Recovery of rent arrears and maximisation of rental and other income for all council services

To manage cases, maintain a direct involvement, identify the factors and develop appropriate actions in line with the priorities and practices of the council.

To keep abreast of all relevant legislation.

To contribute to the overall performance of the Directorate through personal performance, co-operation with other groups and in support of initiatives as approved by the Strategic Manager - Housing Management.

Establish and maintain good lines of communication within the housing team, the council and with outside agencies concerning matters relating to the area and services managed.

Attend meetings and undertake relevant actions and visits out of office hours as required.

Be effective and efficient in the provision of comprehensive landlord functions giving general advice and assistance to council tenants, leaseholders and all residents.

To receive and respond to ASB and tenancy and estate management issues and develop appropriate solutions in line with the policies, priorities and practices of the council.

To assist in identifying tenancy support needs and make relevant referrals to appropriate agencies.

To carry out routine tenancy visits as required including leaseholders and residents as part of a locality management approach.

To be responsible for the recovery of rent arrears (both current and where applicable, former) and maximisation of rental and other income for all council services, by taking the necessary appropriate action to minimise rent arrears and maximise income by the recovery of court costs, recharges etc.

To assist with the provision of welfare benefit advice, income maximisation and debt counselling advice in conjunction with other officers of the Council and appropriate agencies i.e. CAB

To undertake regular estate visits to monitor the condition, upkeep and maintenance of all properties, communal areas and open spaces and to refer any concerns to the responsible person, section or Directorate.

To assist and advise with the allocation and letting of properties in accordance with the council Allocations Policies including:

Providing all necessary advice and support to tenants at the commencement of tenancy

Carrying out investigations of special rehousing cases.

To maintain an awareness and observation of fire and health and safety regulations to ensure procedures linked to these are adhered to.

To provide specialist housing support services to vulnerable and elderly tenants including advising and arranging assessments for the provision of aids and adaptations, referrals to the relevant Teams.

Understand the City Councils role as a corporate parent and identify opportunities to support children, young people and vulnerable adults and make relevant referrals to appropriate agencies.

Meet the councils' obligations towards tenants and leaseholders.  Ensure effective action is taken in line with policy and procedure when there are breaches to the Tenancy Agreement or lease.

To interpret the relevant legislation, policies, procedures and any other legal advice, assess the available evidence and apply these considerations when devising the appropriate course of action to take.

To carry out personal observations, obtain photographic, audio or video evidence and incorporate the same into a report and witness statements, and to attend court in conjunction with same, if required, for tenancy cases.

To receive and investigate complaints and incidents of Anti Social Behaviour or other tenancy condition breaches, relating to issues for which the Directorate is responsible and develop appropriate solutions in line with the policies and procedures of the council.

To produce 'Design and Access' statements in respect of small schemes

To visit and provide support and advice services for residents, victims and witnesses.

To prepare Legal Notices, documents, schedules, witness statements, reports or other correspondence relating to all Enforcement action.

To initiate and implement the appropriate measures when taking action against anti-social behaviour.

To prepare and submit cases in courts and tenancy review hearings including giving personal evidence and testimony as and when required and to present and conduct proceedings on behalf of the City Council.

To attend meetings, case conferences, working parties, court hearings, tenancy review hearings and evictions as directed, in connection with any appropriate matter and conduct proceedings on behalf of the City Council and arrange for the attendance of witnesses from other sections and departments as appropriate.

To write reports and provide relevant information for senior management, including the preparation of reports for Council Committee as required.

Meet corporate performance measures and targets for housing management and to contribute to team target attainment.

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