Tunbridge Wells - Town Hall (Hybrid)
Temporary, Full time
Basic DBS check required
£30,077
37 hours
Are you interested in joining our expanding Housing Options Team at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council?
Do you want a role helping some of our most vulnerable residents in housing need and making a real difference to people’s lives?
If you answered yes, the post we’re seeking to fill could be for you.
We are seeking a dynamic and hands on Tenancy Officer who is passionate about the providing an excellent temporary accommodation service to customers in housing need.
You will be responsible the placements into temporary accommodation of homeless households accommodated under the Council’s statutory homelessness duties, including booking accommodation, signing applicants into and out of accommodation, ensuring recovery of temporary accommodation charges, responding to complaints over repairs and tackling tenancy related issues such as anti-social behaviour.
You will be working as part of the Accommodation Team alongside other colleagues in the wider Housing Options Team. You also support households in temporary accommodation to access other housing related services and to move into longer term accommodation.
Main Responsibilities:
- To arrange, book and sign-up the placement of homeless households into temporary accommodation (TA), and supporting to claim housing benefit and council tax support, ensuring that claims are processed into payment.
- Manage the placement of households into temporary accommodation ensuring they comply with the conditions of their licence agreement and respond to issues such as, non-payment of rent or service charges, or other tenancy breaches e.g. anti-social behaviour, by serving warnings or taking the appropriate steps to recover possession through the County Court.
- Support households placed into accommodation access any support services required and help to support that households are in receipt of any welfare benefit entitlements and help to identify move-on options into more permanent accommodation.
- Provide cover for the onsite support at Dowding House, our block of 25 units of TA in Paddock Wood.
- Carry out regular visits to and inspections of TA properties ensuring adherence to Health and Safety legislation and regulation and to take remedial actions as required and ensuring these accommodation is being occupied.
- Respond to any reports of disrepair or health and safety concerns with properties, carrying out inspections and arranging for remedial works to be completed by either the Council’s contractors or internal services.
- To serve notice to quits and take possession proceedings through the County Court to recover possession of properties, in cases of severe breach of licence conditions, and attending possession hearings.
- Develop effective working relationships with colleagues both within Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and external partners, service users, landlords as well as voluntary and other housing organisations.
About you:
- You will have experience of working in a front-line in a housing environment, including experience in tenancy management such as managing voids, rent accounts, property sign-up’s/sign-out’s and possession proceedings
- Educated to A ‘Level standard or equivalent, at grades A to C, or equivalent grading, or demonstrable experience of working within housing options, homelessness, or housing management.
- A good understanding of Housing legislation including the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, including suitability of accommodation requirements.
- A good understanding of the welfare benefit system and welfare reform changes
- Ability to work in a team and develop effective and supportive relationships with colleagues.
In return we offer you:
- Financial: An attractive basic salary within a clear pay structure.
- Holiday Entitlement: 22 days annual leave (increasing to 27 days after 5 years continuous Local Government service) plus an additional day in December and bank holidays.
- Employee Assistance Programme: The Council has partnered with Health Assured to provide staff with access to EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) to assist in balancing everyday life with the requirement of work and home.
- Pensions: Membership of the Local Government (CARE – Career Average (Revalued Earnings) Pension Scheme.
- Flexibility: The Council operates a hybrid working model with opportunities to work from home and in an office environment, and a flexible working policy subject to the business needs being met.
- Personal Development: Invaluable training opportunities for continuing professional development.
To find out more take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification below. Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile.
Please note: This is a career graded post and candidates will be assessed against both the essential criteria requirements for both Grade F and Grade G detailed in the Person Specification. Candidates will only be considered as appointable to the Grade G position if they fulfil the essential criteria requirements, as detailed below, for both Grade F and Grade G.
Candidates who are only able to demonstrate that they meet the Grade Frequirements, will have the opportunity to progress to a Grade G through training and develop in post, upon being able to demonstrate they meet the Grade G requirements.
For an informal discussion about this post, you can contact Jack Doyle, Accommodation Team Leader, on 01892 554622 or jack.doyle@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
To stay up to date with our latest vacancies and what it’s like to work here you can follow us on twitter @TWBC_Jobs and LinkedIn @TWellsCouncil
Closing Date: Sunday 6th October 2024
Interview Date: Tuesday 15th October 2024
PS_-_Tenancy_Officer_Career_Grade_Sept_24.pdf
JD_-_Tenancy_Officer_Sept_24.pdf