Accommodation Assessment & Lettings Officer

Main Purpose of the job:

• To arrange emergency, temporary accommodation placements and make appropriate referrals into supported accommodation, ensuring all placements and referrals are carried out in a timely manner, making the best use of all available housing stock at all times.
• To make offers of properties in line with Housing legislation and make robust decisions to discharge duty where necessary that will withstand legal scrutiny.
• Arrange emergency accommodation on behalf of other Council services, including Children’s Social Services and Adult Social Care as and when required
• Co-ordinate available properties in the private rented sector and in conjunction with Housing Caseworkers, identify highest priority households to be put forward for Direct Lets to prevent and relieve homelessness.
• To ensure high quality offers, suitability and discharge of duty decisions are made in a timely manner relating to offers of properties (temporary accommodation & private rented properties)
• To work proactively to find an appropriate housing solution to bring the Council’s 'relief’/ full housing duty to an end
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and guidelines so that accommodation is allocated based on need and all offers of accommodation are suitable
• Proactively contribute to the council’s action plan to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation by monitoring and maximising move on opportunities from
• temporary accommodation and supported housing. Ensure accurate records are maintained of those in all types of emergency, temporary and
• supported housing, maintaining statistical information for local and central government statistical returns.

Knowledge

• Excellent knowledge and detailed understanding of Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and other relevant housing and homelessness legislation, case law and guidance
• Knowledge of Landlord and Tenant Legislation, the Housing Act 1985 and Protection from Eviction Act 1977
• Suitability and affordability assessments for accommodation provided under homelessness provisions
• Up to date knowledge of the welfare benefit system and its application
• The Housing Health and Safety Rating System
• Good knowledge of the management of voids and lettings practices
• Comprehensive understanding of the needs of vulnerable people and how their needs can be met, including their social, emotional and wellbeing needs .

Experience

• Experience of working in a customer demand led business in the public or private sector
• Experience of dealing sensitively with distressed or challenging customers/service users
• Experience of working with landlords and managing agents to access void properties and to refer clients
• Experience of administrative systems and office work
• Experience of responding to correspondence and resolving complaints
• Effectively programming/prioritising/planning own workload
• Experience of achieving performance targets and meeting departmental performance objectives
• Self-motivated and able to work with a caseload to achieve targets and continuous improvement
• To think flexibly and broadly, approaching situations from many perspectives