Housing Officer

To support and assist residents to comply with the terms of their tenancy and lease agreement, be satisfied with their home and local environment and be active members of their community.

To work with partners and statutory agencies to ensure that breaches of the tenancy agreement are acted upon and corrected using all types of enforcement action.

Key Duties/Accountabilities:

To deliver a responsive customer focused housing management service to residents and prospective residents.

To increase resident satisfaction and ensure services are delivered in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

To encourage greater resident participation and sustainability of communities by working with the Inclusion and Engagement Team and other housing colleagues.

To work with other housing officers to identify, learn from and produce action plans to resolve housing issues.

To represent Waltham Forest Housing to residents, members of the public and outside agencies and form effective working relationships and use the opportunity to increase the perception of others of the value of Waltham Forest Housing.

To work with other housing officers to ensure that services to communal areas are delivered to the highest quality and in a cost-effective manner including recording issues and taking relevant actions.

To participate in project teams to advise on issues affecting the housing.

To identify residents with particular support requirements (including elders, people with disabilities, drug & alcohol issues and mental ill health) and referring them to appropriate voluntary and statutory agencies.

To liaise closely with agencies providing support services to maintain a high quality and efficient and practical service to residents.

Representing the Company at case conferences as required preparing action plans to support vulnerable tenants and undertake regular monthly visits.

To implement Waltham Forest Housing's policies and procedures in relation to housing management and recognise situations in which those policies are appropriate.

Dealing sensitively and effectively with allegations of anti-social behaviour including harassment, domestic violence and severe nuisance and taking appropriate action. To liaise with statutory and other agencies to support tenants.

To process casework ensuring legislation and agreements are used to resolve contentious situations.

To implement legal proceedings including those relating to anti-social behaviour and other breaches of tenancy as agreed by the Housing Manager, attending court, preparing reports, taking vacant possession of and securing properties.

To work with the lettings team to effectively manage empty properties in accordance with procedures including carrying out introductory tenancy visits and following the introductory tenancy process and ensure new tenants develop good behaviours.

Identify estate and general improvements in consultation with residents including estate champions, liaising with Housing staff to ensure that the improvements are delivered.

Carry out estate inspections as required involving estate champions and following up on actions required to maintain a high-quality service to communal areas in a cost-effective way, liaising with other staff, contractors and external agencies where necessary.

Initial appraisal and reporting of insurance claims in accordance with Company guidelines.

To prepare statistical or qualitative information as and when required.

Attending resident/community group meetings and ensure issues are acted upon and feedback given to residents. This will involve evening meetings and some weekends.

Experience of housing management applied in a multi-cultural environment.

Able to manage a complex workload and demonstrate experience of using the various tools to deal with tenancy breaches.

Experience of consistently delivering to agreed objectives.

Knowledge of current housing and public sector issues.

Able to balance the needs of all key stakeholders and the ability to explain complex decisions taken by the service in a clear and concise manner.

Creative thinking and ability to persuade influence and convince others.

High level of IT skills working with a data base and software applications to produce letters and reports effectively.