JOB DESCRIPTION. Housing Advice Officer (Debt and Welfare Reform) 1 year contract/ 3 days per week. Housing, Community and Communications

Transcription

1 JOB DESCRIPTION Post: Post No: Housing Advice Officer (Debt and Welfare Reform) HS20127 Grade: Scale 6 Fixed Term: Strategic Director: Unit: Responsible to: 1 year contract/ 3 days per week Marcel Coiffait Housing, Community and Communications Housing Advice Team Leader Job Purpose Fixed term post primarily to deliver welfare rights, money and debt advice across all housing tenures, in the face of benefit caps and welfare reform. Help deliver a high quality customer focused housing advice service. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with private landlords and managing agents to help homeless households secure and maintain accommodation in the private rented sector. Job Purpose Fixed term post primarily to deliver welfare rights, money and debt advice across all housing tenures, in the face of benefit caps and welfare reform. Help deliver a high quality customer focused housing advice service. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with private landlords and managing agents to help homeless households secure and maintain accommodation in the private rented sector. Key responsibilities 1. To effectively manage a housing advice caseload. To ensure that all files, records and computer based data are maintained accurately at all times. To ensure a thorough and complete audit trail for the Housing Advice Service. 2. To act as an advocacy service for those in need of help as resources permit. 3. To provide expert advice, information and assistance on housing and related support issues including working closely with other agencies to ensure a co-ordinated and consistent approach.

2 4. To provide housing advice to all applicants on mortgage and tenancy repossession, tenancy law/rights, mortgage rescue, housing and welfare benefits, rehousing options including accessing the private rented sector, social housing and other forms of affordable housing including low cost home ownership and intermediate rental products as required by the Housing Solutions Manager. To assist applicants with registering and bidding on Homes4u. 5. Help prevent homelessness from occurring and limit the use of temporary accommodation through making home visits and giving appropriate advice. 6. To keep up to date with relevant legislation, case law, Government guidance/policy and best practice initiatives. 7. To assist the Strategic Housing Solutions Manager to develop and maintain effective working relationships with private landlords to maximise the availability of accommodation in the private sector for homeless and potentially homeless clients. 8. Ensure all corporate requirements on health and safety, equal opportunities, data protection, risk management and financial regulations are met. 9. To help cover the Homelessness Prevention Service where there are staff absences. To take applications for assistance under the current homelessness legislation as required by the Strategic Housing Solutions Manager. 10. To arrange emergency accommodation for all eligible homeless applicants where necessary, and to liaise closely with the landlord, Stevenage Homes Temporary Accommodation Team, housing support providers and/or Housing Benefit Officers. To ensure that housing benefit and support packages are in place, and that the relevant paperwork is completed where appropriate and ensure the protection and storage of possessions where appropriate. 11. To respond to enquiries from other agencies and the public and facilitate/attend public meetings in relation to the post holder s responsibilities. To prepare reports and liaise with Members on enquiries relating to homelessness/housing advice. 12. To help administer and deliver the Council s Tenancy Deposit Scheme as required by the Strategic Housing Solutions Manager and the Housing Advice Team Leader. 13. To undertake training as identified by the Strategic Housing Solutions Manager and Housing Advice Team Leader. 14. To provide homelessness prevention and housing advice services in other locations within the borough as required. 15. To assist in the preparation and updating of information guides on the service. 16. To provide and promote a quality housing service that maintains a culture of customer service which encourages involvement and continuous improvement in line with changes in customer needs and Council policy. 17. Meet targets and deadlines as specified in the Housing, Partnerships and Communications Service Plan. To help maintain performance statistics relating to the use of the Housing Advice Service. 18. To ensure that customers, colleagues and all other agencies are aware of all housing services delivered.

3 19. To assist with customer satisfaction and service development initiatives. 20. To adhere to all Council Policy, in particular Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety. 21. To participate in the Council s out-of-hours rota for dealing with emergency homelessness cases. 22. To deputise or cover in the absence of the Strategic Housing Solutions Manager and the Homelessness Prevention Team Leader. 23. To undertake any other duties properly assigned from time to time by the Strategic Housing Solutions Manager and Housing Advice Team Leader which are appropriate to the grade and character of the post.

4 DRAFT PERSON SPECIFICATION Post: Post No: Housing Advice Officer TBC Grade: Scale 6 Strategic Director: Unit: Responsible to: Marcel Coiffait Housing, Partnerships and Communications Housing Advice Team Leader CATEGORY ESSENTIAL JOB REQUIREMENT DESIRABLE JOB REQUIREMENT 1. Job Related Advanced knowledge of housing issues Skills and including knowledge of relevant homelessness Knowledge and housing legislation and good practice standards. Working knowledge of the Private Rented Sector. Knowledge of welfare benefits and tenancy related issues. Excellent organisational and communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Excellent negotiating skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships with customers, internal and external partners. Ability to deal with customers, Members, colleagues and other professionals in a professional and effective manner. Ability to deal with vulnerable clients Ability to budget. Ability to work as part of a team combined with the ability to exercise a highly developed degree of personal initiative. Self motivated and the ability to work without close supervision. Ability to prioritise and manage a workload. METHOD OF ASSESSMENT /test /test /test /test

5 Ability to identify and meet set performance standards and deadlines/targets. Computer literate and a confident IT user. Ability to adapt to changing nature of Local Authority functions and provision of housing. Knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities and diversity issues. 2. Experience Experience of working in a housing advice and/or homelessness prevention capacity. 3. Educational/ Good overall education to degree level or Professional extensive relevant experience. Qualifications Required for Job 4. Other Requirements A strong commitment to high quality customer service. Able to be flexible in approach to responsibilities and to working hours. Participation in the out-of hours emergency service. Clean driving licence and able to travel within and beyond Stevenage. Willingness to undertake relevant training. Vehicle available for business Use. Working knowledge of Housing related systems Qualification from Institute of Housing HNC/Diploma or similar /test inter view