Housing Liaison Officer

Working on behalf of a Local Authority, Aatom Recruitment has an opportunity Housing Liaison Officer on a 3 month contract with a possibility of an extension.

This position will be a total of 36 hours per week, with hours from 09:00am – 17:00pm.

Job Purpose:

To carry out a range of duties as directed within Resident Services, to the Boroughs housing residents, irrespective of tenure. With a strong focus on compliance, enhanced communication, and fire safety, officers will provide excellent services to customers and instil confidence in residents of the borough.

To be responsible for enforcing the terms of tenancy or lease, and co-ordinate enforcement through to court action for breaches of lease and tenancy conditions and other grounds as appropriate.

Job Specific Accountabilities:

• To monitor and respond to enquiries from residents, in person, through correspondence and by telephone.
• To ensure personal objectives and targets are met.
• To interview residents by phone, in the office or via home visits as required.
• Provide expert advice and information to residents in respect of fire safety and housing compliance.
• To coordinate and facilitate resident meetings/forums, surgeries, and multi-agency site visits, taking minutes of meetings where necessary, ensuring they are accurate and comprehensive, and disseminated in a timely manner.
• To carry out regular inspections of the properties that you are responsible for, ensuring that fire safety issues/hazards are identified and dealt with in a timely manner, making and monitoring referrals to relevant service areas where necessary.
• To follow enforcement procedures in response to ASB issues.
• To actively promote to residents the range of payment methods available and signpost customers to the relevant financial or other support available.
• To assist vulnerable residents to sustain their tenancies and address tenancy breaches, including liaison with support networks, reporting and signposting adults that have been identified as having support or other needs to the appropriate services.
• To investigate and to manage all breaches of lease and tenancy until resolution, in partnership with other Council services and external agencies.
• To ensure all sub-let properties are Licensed and fees are collected for the licence/subtenants for Leaseholders that are subletting their property.
• To attend Court or Tribunals to represent London Borough of Newham as necessary.
• To carry out evictions where possession or forfeiture has been obtained, including arranging for properties to be secured, removal of goods and storage and offering advice on homelessness to those evicted.

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience:

• A demonstrable understanding of multi tenure housing management.
• Specialist knowledge in at least one of the following areas: Fire Safety/ Tenancy Audit/ Resident Engagement/ Housing Compliance/ Block Management.
• Basic knowledge of the following areas: Income Collection and Debt Recovery/ Tenant and leasehold management and compliance/ Major Works consultation processes/ Right to Buy/ Tenancy sustainment.
• A clear understanding of Customer Services.
• Knowledge of methods to achieve high levels of resident satisfaction.
• Knowledge of key housing legislation, best practice, and current issues relating to resident engagement through the management of Council tenancies and leases.
• Awareness of health and safety issues.
• An awareness of how to operate in a commercial environment
• An understanding of issues relating to equality and diversity.
• Ability to communicate clearly, courteously and patiently with members of the public and with colleagues
• Able to use a range of IT systems.
• The ability to demonstrate excellent writing skills with the ability to write for a range of audiences.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet deadlines and successfully deliver conflicting priorities.

To get more information about this role and how to apply please contact Jordan.