A little bit about what we are looking for...
Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of tenants while shaping the future of housing services? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a driven and skilled Post Legal Officer to join our dynamic Income Services Team! In this key role, you’ll be integral to managing the legal enforcement process while delivering outstanding service to our tenants.
We embrace the future of work with our hybrid working model, offering you the flexibility to thrive in your role. You'll have the opportunity to blend the best of both worlds, spending approximately 2-3 days per week in the office with the remainder being from the comfort of your own home. However bear in mind during your probation and training, we may request more office presence to ensure you feel fully supported and equipped for success. Your well-being and confidence in your role are paramount to us, and we're committed to providing the flexibility you need to excel. Of course if you'd prefer to be in the office more, then that is completely fine with us too!
As part of our commitment to promoting work-life balance, we offer an optional 9-day fortnight scheme*. With this arrangement, you have the opportunity to compress your hours into nine days, allowing you to enjoy a bonus day off every fortnight. It's our way of empowering you to achieve greater flexibility and recharge, helping you be your best self.
What You’ll Be Doing:
As a Post Legal Officer, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring smooth income collection and helping tenants navigate complex legal and financial situations. You’ll be responsible for handling rent possession proceedings, offering expert advice, and ensuring tenants stay on track with their rent obligations. You’ll also be at the forefront of improving performance and tackling challenges to secure positive outcomes.
* Lead Legal Enforcement & Debt Collection: Take full responsibility for managing rent arrears, ensuring targets are met, and using your legal expertise to guide tenants through debt reduction strategies and court proceedings.
* Drive Positive Tenant Outcomes: Advise tenants on their rights and responsibilities, helping them understand how to avoid repossession and stay on top of their rent payments, and offer proactive support on welfare reform and benefit claims.
* Court Expertise: Apply the pre-action protocol, manage court cases via the PCOL system, prepare eviction reports, and support the preparation of witness statements.
* Provide Exceptional Service: Offer efficient and empathetic support to tenants, ensuring clear communication on their rent accounts, payment plans, and available support services.
* Collaborate to Improve Services: Work closely with the Income Team Manager to drive debt reduction strategies and performance targets, while identifying and addressing obstacles to effective rent collection.
* Support Team Development: Be an integral part of the Income Team by assisting in colleague training, contributing to service improvements, and providing valuable input during team meetings.
* Engage with External Partners: Network with agencies like Housing Benefit and the DWP to remove obstacles to rent payment, ensuring tenants are connected with the resources they need.
We recommend you read the full job description to get a really good understanding of what the role entails, you can find this as a downloadable attachment at the bottom of the advert.
Our ideal candidate...
* CIH Qualification (Part or Full) or Equivalent: Bring your expertise to the table with a relevant qualification, or an equivalent level of knowledge in housingshowing your dedication to advancing your career in this rewarding field.
* Expert Knowledge of Landlord and Tenant Legislation: You’ll have a deep understanding of the legal framework that governs landlord and tenant relationships, ensuring you’re always ahead of the curve in delivering top-notch service and compliance.
* Passionate About Social Housing & PA’s Core Values: Your knowledge of the social housing sector will be matched by your commitment to PA Housing’s core values, making sure that everything you do contributes to the wider mission of making a difference in the communities we serve.
* Proven Expertise in Housing Law & Court Processes: With hands-on experience in housing law and court procedures, including the pre-court protocol, you’ll be ready to tackle any challenge with confidence and precision.
* Real-World Application of Best Practice: You’ll be putting your knowledge into action, ensuring that landlord and tenant legislation and best practices are not just understood, but implemented seamlessly every day.
* Driven by Professional Development: You’re someone who seeks out opportunities for growth, regularly evaluating your own performance to sharpen your skills and stay at the top of your game.
* Thrives in Target-Driven Environments: You excel in dynamic, target-focused settings, balancing your drive for success with an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional results.
* Customer-Focused Experience: With a proven track record of face-to-face customer interaction, you’re adept at addressing concerns, resolving issues, and creating positive experiences for those you serve.
* Experience in Housing Associations or Public Services: Having worked with Housing Associations or within the public sector, you’re no stranger to handling complex situations with empathy and professionalism, always striving to improve the lives of customers.
If specific qualifications are required, please upload them with your application to demonstrate your eligibility.
AGENCIES: We know where you are if we need your support so please do not contact us.
To apply for this role please click on the apply button or for any enquiries please email recruitment@pahousing.co.uk - We reserve the right to close this job advert early if we receive a sufficient number of applications. Therefore, we advise you to apply promptly to ensure your application can be considered.
* please note this is a non contractual benefit and may be subject to change