Role Purpose
To provide a high-quality service for households in housing need irrespective of tenure; emphasis on the prevention/relief of homelessness and the provision of advice and support to achieve best outcomes; engaging with customers to deliver housing services that work for them.
Responsibiltiies
To reduce homelessness by employing a range of behaviours aimed at building trusting and productive relationships with customers that enable officers to persuade, influence and support them to make positive choices and fully engage with realistic housing options to prevent and relieve homelessness.
To carry a caseload and provide an effective, professional service which includes offering customers in housing need a full range of advice and interventions related to their housing options in the private and public sector with the aim of ensuring a comprehensive service to prevent homelessness.
To provide an effective, professional homelessness service including the assessment and investigation of cases in line with the Council’s statutory duties under the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) and relevant case law.
Undertake affordability assessments with customers to enable appropriate advice to be given to residents about where they can afford to live, how they might maximise benefits and work in partnership with other organisations where employment would be a solution to the housing need.
Use influencing and problem-solving skills to negotiate with customers, excluders, landlords and agents in order to ensure that accommodation remains open to those threatened with homelessness for the maximum period of time so that effective casework can be undertaken and a range of tools, including accessing the Homelessness Prevention Fund utilised.
Requirements
Know how to find information about accommodation options and be able to brief customers on these. Have a good working knowledge of available accommodation provisions
Experience working in a housing association or council
An understanding of public policy issues affecting temporary accommodation, homelessness prevention and social housing
Knowledge of Landlord and Tenant legislation and best practice
Contract
Initial 3 to 6 month ongoing contract
PAYE via Umbrella
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
If you are interested in this position AND meet the requirements, APPLY NOW