Housing Solutions Officer x4 – Housing

Temporary Housing Solutions Officer x4 – Housing

Reference no: K&C 5227363

Pay rate: £17.36 per hour PAYE

Role Length:  This opening assignment is for 3 months

Enhanced DBS required for this role

This role is to support the Housing Solutions Team Manager to lead and deliver outcomes that are responsive to the needs of residents by ensuring that the Council fulfils its responsibilities in line with the Councils’ statutory duties under Part VI and VII of the Housing Act 1996 as amended.  To prevent and relieve homelessness and process Part 6 and 7 applications according to statutory frameworks.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide a rapid, effective, and efficient response to referrals received through the ‘duty to refer’ or other referral sources.
• Manage the assessment, investigation and verification of applications who would like to join the Housing Register under Part VI of the Housing Act 1996 and the Council’s Allocations Scheme on an allocated casework basis. Determine if the household is eligible and allocate the appropriate ‘points’ in line with the guidance. Interview or visit high priority applicants, offering appropriate advice and verifying applications for acceptance onto the Housing Register and assessing housing need.
• Support the Housing Solutions Team Leader in arranging and developing outreach surgeries, online platforms and other information to named public bodies and other key interested parties or potential partners to deliver cross cutting prevention work for Housing Solutions.
• Support the Housing Solutions Leader in developing innovative and creative solutions to the prevention of homelessness and tangible reduction of the use of temporary accommodation, this could include developing relationships with leaseholders, private landlords and Councils or bodies outside of London.
• Become the local intelligence and community link for the key areas of homelessness presentations within the borough.
• Ensure that all assessments of customers housing needs are accordance with the Homelessness Act 2017. A high percentage of customers presenting as homeless will be vulnerable and it is essential to assess the customer’s needs accurately in accordance with the Care Act 2014, the Children’s Act 1989 and all relevant housing legislation.
• Ensure that reasonable care for the safety and health for themselves and others who may be affected by their acts; and to work with management to comply with Service/Unit procedures and protocols and with the Councils Health and Safety Policy and all guidance, instructions and risk assessments.
• Deal with enquiries, complaints and correspondence from clients and their advocates, including solicitors, councillors, MPs, the ombudsman and other housing providers, in line with the Council’s complaints and enquiries procedure. This may include preparing information to support court cases for which the post-holder is responsible.
• Develop and maintain a positive relationship with clients, resident’s organisations, council officers, housing providers, advocates, elected members and other stakeholders to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction are achieved.

“Role Requirements” – to give yourself the maximum chance of success please try and ensure your CV addresses the following essential criteria:

Experience:

• Minimum of 12 months recent experience in a similar role, or context and ideally within a public sector organisation.
• Experience of providing an effective advice service to members of the public.
• Experience of implementing an equality and diversity approach to service delivery.
• Experience of working in a team.
• Experience of effective record keeping including electronically to a high standard.
• Experience of successfully working to performance targets and deadlines.

Knowledge:

• Good understanding of Central London housing issues and an understanding of access to social housing locally.
• Awareness of issues and initiatives facing local authority housing. Knowledge of relevant Lettings, Homelessness and Housing Act legislation including security of tenure and private tenants’ rights.
• A good knowledge of services, benefits and support available to applicants experiencing housing problems.
• A good understanding of Local Housing Policy.

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening, advocacy and a win-win approach with all stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to write detailed technical letters and reports and getting things right first time.
• Ability to gather information and interpret complex issues and provide creative and positive solutions to various cohorts of service users.
• Flexible and adaptable.
• Strong IT skills using Microsoft packages or equivalent (e.g. G Suite).

NB: Please feel free to apply to us direct via [email protected] by quoting the job reference and job title exactly. SEE DETAILS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS AD.

If you have previously applied to one of our vacancies and have already sent the required supporting documentation to us, please make this clear when you re-apply as this will help speed up your application.

To help speed up the process of uploading your CV to the client we would suggest that you send us your CV in Word format (or equivalent) if possible, rather than as a PDF.

If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension you will be working this role at the PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis, rather than entertaining umbrella pay terms, we do not offer Ltd/umbrella or outside IR35 rates. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information for clarity.