3months contract with a LocalAuthority
JobSummary:
* TheCouncil is focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for itscommunities. To do this the Council needsemployees who thrive in an agile and networked organisation and whocan support continuous improvement within a constructiveorganisational culture. The role willthereforeundertake.
* Toensure the effective and efficient management of all TemporaryAccommodation in accordance with relevant legislation policies andprocedures.
* Toensure all repairing obligations and health & housingsafety rating standards are met within Temporary Accommodationprovided within the Council s own Hostel accommodation and homesleased in the private sector including that managed by externalproviders.
* Tomanage relationships with homeless households provided temporaryaccommodation including action to assist in income recoveryinvestigate antisocial behaviour and where needed recoverpossession
* Tobuild and maintain relationships with providers of TemporaryAccommodation.
* Toidentify safeguarding risks welfare and support needs of residentsand the suitability of accommodationprovided
* Tosupport the Temporary Accommodation Team Manager and theAccommodation Services Lead by contributing to the overalldevelopment of the temporary accommodationservice.
KeyDuties/Accountabilities(Sample):
* Todeliver a highquality temporary accommodation management service tohomeless households and other occupants of temporary accommodationincluding the Council Hostels Private Leasing Scheme and othersupported accommodation including homes spot purchased withproviders used to accommodate homeless households social serviceclients and individuals with experience of roughsleeping.
* Toundertake property viewings and signups and to support residents toretain their homes by actively assisting in application for housingbenefit on commencement oflettings.
* Toensure rent account setup and closure applicable to a lettingproviding information to residents on mechanisms for rentpayment.
* Toadvise the Housing Access and Housing Solutions team of nominee sacceptance of accommodation or in refusal to help secure reasonsfor this at viewing to provide the Housing Accessteam.
* Toensure periodic compliance certification health and housing safetyrating checks through a programme of periodic and responsiveproperty visits and provide person centred fire risk assessments toensure safety ofoccupants.
* Toundertake property inspections at prevoid void relet and within aplanned programme of visits to identify repair and propertyimprovement needs providing report on property conditions and usingphotobook or other tools to identify and monitor repair andimprovement needs tocompletion.
* Toraise repair requests with accommodation providers and contractorsand to monitor their completion to ensure the Local Authority meetsits obligations to residents and that providers meet thecontractual terms of their lease or otheragreement.
* Toensure any absence of repair or improvement needed breach ofcompliance certification or property hazard identified within thehealth and housing safety rating system is recorded and escalatedto providers of accommodation and team leader and in absence ofaction within reasonable timescales referred to the Market Supplyteam billingsofficer.
* Toensure any applicable recharge for repair to occupier or providerin notifying party and referring collection charge to Market Supplyteam billingsofficer.
* Toprovide responses to enquiries related to property conditionsimprovement and repair requests from accommodation providersresidents their advocates and electedrepresentatives.
* Toproactively work to reduce void turnaround minimising financialloss
* Toinvestigate antisocial behaviour and to record these in thereportingtool.
* Toinvestigate licence breaches and monitor arrears identifying casesfor referral to multiagency professionals meetings forconsideration of possessionaction.
* Toliaise with Legal Services for steps required for possession actionand to represent the Council at court hearings andevictions.
* Toliaise with the Housing Access Team to advise on a need to providealternative temporary accommodation to residents in relation tosuitability underoccupation overcrowding or other reasons to meetthe needs of residents andservice.
* Toliaise with the Housing Solutions Team to effect discharge of dutyasrequired.
* Toliaise with colleagues and partners to maximise the use of privatesector opportunities to accommodate homeless households and avoidthe use of bed & breakfast accommodation wherever possibleincluding advising the Housing Access team of pending voids prevoid and post void suitability for viewings ready for let dates andproperty descriptions within a Property Information Notification(PIN).
* Toidentify subletting unauthorised occupation and abandonment ofaccommodation liaising with the Housing Access Team on applicationslegal services and Southwest London Fraudteam.
* Toidentify and raise safeguarding alerts and to attend multiagencymeetings regarding residents needs refer residents to supportservices including those to maximise income and employmentopportunities and manage debt asapplicable.
* Developsstrong partnership working with internal and external agencies toimprove and promote theservice.
* Tomaintain current knowledge of law and policy relating to theservice and to provide specialist advice to colleagues asrequired.
* Tocontribute to the preparation of a draft annual Team Plan for theservice and to assist with the review and development ofperformance targets and best practice &innovation
* Tomeet and exceed performance targets and to submit to the TemporaryAccommodation Team Manager information and performance statisticsrelating to the work of theservice.
* Toparticipate on a rota basis on the outofhours service toTemporary
* Accommodationresidents to signpost residents to the relevant service providerfor outofhours repair as applicable to the letting. To attend theCouncils Hostel accommodation in event of fire flood or electricaloutage to provide access to contractors if required and assistanceto LFB asapplicable.
Skills/Experience:
* Knowledgeof private sector housing law and security of tenure particularlyAssured ShortholdTenancies.
* Knowledgeof repair and health and safety obligations relating to temporaryaccommodation and standards in the privatesector.
* Anunderstanding of the needs of homeless households in temporaryaccommodation.
* Experienceof working in a busy frontline housing service or similar and/orsignificant technicalexperience.
* Experienceof partnership working and influencing and negotiating to achievesuccessfuloutcomes.
* Experienceof conducting high qualitycasework.
* Ability to workwith others to achieve excellentperformance.
* Hasthe ability to understand and assimilate complex information andtranslate that information into innovation in practice andmanagement.
* Customerservice focused able to develop productive working relationshipsand respond effectively to challenging behaviours fromcustomers.
* Abilityto communicate verbally and in writing to a range of audiencesincluding customers advocates and externalstakeholders.
* Hasexcellent administration and organisational skills with closeattention todetail.
* Abilityto think plan and act with a creative approach to problem solvingand delivery in demanding circumstances and with competingpriorities to ensure deadlines aremet.
* Stronginterpersonal and communication skills the ability to establisheffective negotiation skills and workingrelationships.
* Acommitment to own personal development andlearning.
AdditionalInformation:
* Theclosing date: 27/08/24@15:00.
Knowledge of private sector housing law and security of tenure,particularly Assured Shorthold Tenancies. Knowledge of repairingand health and safety obligations relating to temporaryaccommodation and standards in the private sector. An understandingof the needs of homeless households in temporary accommodation.Experience of working in a busy frontline housing service orsimilar and/or significant technical experience. Experience ofpartnership working and influencing and negotiating to achievesuccessful outcomes. Experience of conducting high qualitycasework. Ability to work with others to achieve excellentperformance. Has the ability to understand and assimilate complexinformation and translate that information into innovation inpractice and management. Customer service focused, able to developproductive working relationships and respond effectively tochallenging behaviours from customers. Ability to communicateverbally and in writing to a range of audiences includingcustomers, advocates and external stakeholders. Has excellentadministration and organisational skills with close attention todetail. Ability to think, plan and act with a creative approach toproblem solving and delivery in demanding circumstances and withcompeting priorities to ensure deadlines are met. Stronginterpersonal and communication skills, the ability to establisheffective negotiation skills and working relationships. Acommitment to own personal development and learning.