2-3 months contract with a Local Authority Job Summary: • To carry out a range of duties as directed within Resident Services, to the Boroughs housing residents, irrespective of tenure. With a strong focus on income collection maximisation and client relations, officers will provide excellent services to customers. • To provide an effective income recovery service that maximises income collection and debt recovery whilst providing a customer focussed service for residents in a range of housing provided by the council including leasehold, permanent and temporary accommodation. • To be responsible for enforcing the terms of tenancy or lease, and co-ordinate enforcement through to court action, primarily on rent recovery or service charge arrears, but also for breaches of lease and tenancy conditions and other grounds as appropriate. • To deliver the service using a digital by default approach, ensuring those who may be disadvantaged are identified and supported. Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample): • To respond to routine enquiries from residents, in person, through correspondence and by telephone. • To ensure personal objectives and targets are met. • To interview residents by phone, in the office or via home visits as required. • To maximise all revenue streams to improve income collection rates and minimise the levels of debt to the Council. To monitor arrears cases and ensure that prompt action is taken, including liaison with revenues & benefits, mortgage lenders and instigating legal proceedings. • To actively promote to residents the range of payment methods available and signpost customers to the relevant financial or other support available. • Provide expert advice and information to residents in respect of interventions for managing arrears and welfare benefit entitlements. • To assist vulnerable residents to sustain their tenancies and address tenancy breaches, including liaison with support networks, reporting and signposting adults that have been identified as having support or other needs to the appropriate services. • To investigate and to manage all breaches of lease and tenancy until resolution, in partnership with other Council services and external agencies. • To prepare and submit applications to the County Court or First Tier Tribunals in relation to breaches or arrears, seeking and enforcing judgement. Attend Court or Tribunals to represent London Borough of Newham as necessary. • To carry out evictions where possession or forfeiture has been obtained, including arranging for properties to be secured, removal of goods and storage and offering advice on homelessness to those evicted. • To process applications in respect of the ‘Right to Buy’ scheme in accordance with statutory requirements, timescales and the Council’s policy and procedures, interviewing prospective purchasers as appropriate and providing relevant advice. • Facilitate the property selection and sales process for the Councils Newshare shared Equity scheme and working with external agents to ensure sales targets are achieved. • To process property resales (assignments) using relevant IT systems, ensuring that information is provided in accordance with statutory requirements and the Council’s policy and procedures. • To issue, within tight deadlines, appropriate formal S.20 consultation notices to leaseholders for all capital works schemes, other repairs and other services provided, in compliance with legal requirement, ensuring that all responses from leaseholders are considered and responded to appropriately. • To manage and respond to enquiries and complaints from residents and elected members concerning the provision of services. • To ensure that all files and records are updated using the appropriate corporate systems and to use information technology as necessary, for monitoring, record keeping and statistical analysis purposes. • To work closely and flexibly with all staff across resident services and other departments to provide an excellent level of customer service and deliver improvements for residents. • To use initiative to contribute towards the collective output of the team, to meet all statutory or other deadlines. • To liaise with and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external agencies and other service providers. • To attend meetings and undertake interviews and home visits outside normal hours, as may be necessary. • To carry out any other duties that maybe required within the purpose and grade of the job. Skills/Experience: • A demonstrable understanding of multi tenure housing management. • Specialist knowledge in at least one of the following areas: Income Collection and Debt Recovery, Tenant and leasehold management and compliance, Major Works consultation processes, Right to Buy, Tenancy sustainment. • A clear understanding of Customer Services. • Knowledge of First Tier Tribunals, and/or County Court proceedings relating to housing residents • Knowledge of methods to achieve effective income recovery including welfare regulations • Knowledge of relevant legislation with relating to the management of Council tenancies and leases • An awareness of how to operate in a commercial environment • A minimum of 2 years’ experience of working in a team within a resident’s services environment. • A minimum of 2 years’ experience of at least one of: • Income collection and debt management within a public sector environment. • Processing right to buy applications • Leasehold management, consultation and compliance • Tenancy management and compliance • Tenancy Sustainment • Ability to communicate clearly, courteously and patiently with members of the public and with colleagues • Ability to prioritise workload and use own initiative. • Able to use a range of IT systems. • Able to make a positive contribution to deliver value for money. • The ability to work and liaise effectively with a range of people and services and as part of a team • Ability to assess and evaluate • Ability to reason and appropriately challenge where necessary. • Ability to deal promptly with problems and find appropriate solutions. • Ability to participate as a team member effectively and co-operatively. • Ability to meet tight deadlines and to meet personal targets • Regularly reviews, and takes responsibility, for the quality of their service and acts upon feedback to improve both quality and delivery • Is proactive in generating ideas and solutions across the service • Delivers what they promise and continuously strives to improve performance • Aware of their own responsibilities and accountabilities and takes responsibility for their own actions. Additional Information: • The closing date: 29/01/25 12:00.