Tenancy Management Officer

Key Responsibilities:

1. Tenancy Management:

   • Managing a portfolio of properties, ensuring that tenants are adhering to the terms of their tenancy agreements.
   • Conducting regular inspections of properties and estates to identify issues such as anti-social behaviour, maintenance needs, or tenancy breaches.

2. Rent Collection and Arrears Management:

   • Monitoring rent accounts, ensuring timely collection of rent, and addressing arrears.
   • Liaising with tenants to resolve rent-related issues, and signposting them to financial support or debt advice services if necessary.

3. Supporting Tenants:

   • Acting as the first point of contact for tenants, dealing with enquiries, complaints, and issues around repairs, maintenance, and neighbour disputes.
   • Assisting tenants in sustaining their tenancies, which may include referrals to support services such as welfare benefits advice, health services, or employment and training opportunities.

4. Neighbourhood Management:

   • Working in partnership with other departments (e.g., maintenance, housing allocations, legal) to maintain and improve neighbourhoods.
   • Identifying issues within estates that may require improvement, from communal repairs to safety and security concerns.

5. Legal Actions and Enforcement:

   • Taking appropriate action when tenancy breaches occur, which could include serving notices, applying for injunctions, or pursuing evictions, where necessary.
   • Preparing reports and evidence for court hearings and attending as required.

6. Health and Safety:

   • Ensuring properties and communal areas comply with health and safety standards.
   • Carrying out risk assessments, particularly concerning fire safety, and ensuring all actions are followed up.

Skills & Qualifications:

1. Communication Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of tenants, staff, and external partners.

2. Problem-Solving Abilities: Strong analytical skills to assess issues and determine appropriate solutions, including managing sensitive situations like anti-social behaviour or rent arrears.

3. Knowledge of Housing Legislation: Familiarity with relevant housing laws, policies, and procedures, particularly related to tenancy agreements, rent arrears management, and anti-social behaviour.

4. IT and Record-Keeping Skills: Proficiency in using housing management systems to maintain accurate records of tenancies, rent arrears, complaints, and actions taken.

5. Organisational Skills: The ability to manage multiple caseloads and meet deadlines, particularly on a temporary basis where the workload might be more demanding.

6. Experience: Previous experience in housing management, ideally within a local authority or similar public sector organisation.

Temporary Nature of the Role:

• Adaptability: Since this is a short-term role, candidates must be able to hit the ground running, quickly familiarise themselves with local authority policies, and adapt to the team's working style.
• Project-based Work: The temporary officer may be brought in to deal with a specific issue (e.g., backlog of arrears cases or a major neighbourhood regeneration project) and must be focused on achieving measurable outcomes within the timeframe.
• Flexibility: Being available to take on varied responsibilities as needed over the 3-6 month period, including potentially extending the role if required.

Expectations:

• Independence: The ability to manage a caseload with minimal supervision, but also work effectively within a team.
• Public Service Approach: Commitment to delivering a high standard of service to tenants and maintaining the reputation of the local authority.
• Clear Reporting: Regular reporting on key performance indicators, including rent collection, resolution of tenancy issues, and enforcement actions.