Housing Allocations Officer

Job Purpose:

• To allocate and let accommodation.
• To assess and determine housing applications.
• To provide advice and support to housing applicants.
• To deliver an efficient, effective, and fair service to all service users, without discrimination.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide effective, efficient, and customer-focused housing services in accordance with relevant legislation, guidance, and council policies and procedures, in collaboration with other teams and partner organisations.
2. Address customer enquiries promptly and professionally through various channels, including email, letter, telephone, video call, in person at council offices, customers' homes, and other locations as necessary.
3. Offer advice and assistance to housing applicants regarding housing applications, bidding for properties, and offers of accommodation, helping customers access suitable housing options.
4. Investigate, assess, and determine housing register applications, ensuring thorough and accurate evaluations.
5. Make informed decisions and recommendations regarding housing register applications and produce formal decision letters in line with council policies.
6. Assess the housing needs, housing circumstances, and housing-related support needs of households with complex or specialist requirements (e.g., accessibility needs), identifying necessary actions to secure and maintain suitable accommodation. Monitor progress and provide regular updates to clients.
7. Allocate accommodation to housing register applicants, conducting suitability assessments to ensure the best use of available housing.
8. Manage property lettings effectively, including tenancy terminations, inspections, repairs, key movements, advertising, allocations, accompanied viewings, tenancy sign-ups, and creation of tenancies, while working to minimise void periods and void rent loss.
9. Participate in the housing allocations service duty rota during normal service hours, providing timely and professional support to customers.
10. Assist the Housing Options Team by providing advice and assistance, investigating and determining homeless applications, and allocating accommodation to homeless applicants as required.
11. Support the Housing Options Team with the housing options service duty rota during normal service hours, and provide emergency standby and advisory duties outside of normal service hours when necessary.
12. Maintain accurate, up-to-date records for all housing-related activities, ensuring compliance with internal systems and data management standards.
13. Safeguard confidential information, ensuring it is managed securely and reporting any information security breaches or concerns in line with council policies and procedures.
14. Deliver a fair and equitable service to all customers in accordance with council policies, ensuring that services are accessible and inclusive.
15. Identify and report any safeguarding concerns, adhering to council safeguarding protocols.
16. Undertake other tasks as required, in line with the level of the role.

Special Factors:

• The role may require the post-holder to work outside of normal service hours, depending on operational needs.
• As this position is designated as a 'regulated activity' (involving duties related to children and/or vulnerable adults) or is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is a mandatory requirement.