Housing Officer - FTC

Job Purpose:

To be responsible for the delivery of a great neighbourhood housing management service which puts customers at the heart of service delivery. Operating within a strong performance culture you will proactively engage with customers to provide support, advice, and assistance to ensure that tenancy conditions are maintained, and any breaches of tenancy are dealt with effectively.

Working closely with customers and the wider community you will build relationships to improve the lives and neighbourhoods of residents living in the Maryhill and Ruchill areas.

Working as part of a team, the post holder will be responsible for providing an excellent front line housing management service to a ‘patch’ of properties in accordance with the Association’s policies, procedures, SHR guidance and statutory requirements. You may be required to manage the Retirement Housing Officers on a day to day basis and supporting them to deliver a first‑class service to tenants living in the Association’s retirement homes.

• Ensure that tenants comply with the terms of their tenancy.
• Actively promote and oversee the running and organisation of RTOs including preparing reports, taking minutes, organising, and attending meetings and taking any follow up actions.
• Investigate and respond to customer complaints.
• Manage own performance, highlighting any areas of concerns and agreeing strategies to address poor performance.
• Produce monthly statistics in relation to key performance indicators and individual targets.
• Adopt a flexible approach to meet the customers’ needs which could include early morning/evening working as required.
• Work effectively with all teams to deliver services that meet the needs of the customer.
• Prepare an annual Neighbourhood plan for consideration by the Investment team as part of the annual Investment programme.
• Participate in the duty rota for the team.
• Administer the fair rent process for the properties in the ‘patch’.
• Liaise with support agencies and statutory organisations where customers’ needs are identified to support tenancy sustainment.
• Maintain a sound working knowledge of welfare benefits and Welfare Reform.
• Provide tenants and or applicants with information that will assist tenancy sustainment and general customer wellbeing, e.g., smart technology, aids and adaptations, wider role initiatives.
• Implement and undertake a rolling programme of annual visits to tenants.
• Manage abandonments and carry out evictions.
• Safeguarding Adults and Children in line with the Associations Vulnerable Persons Plan and make referrals where required to Social Work in respect of Adult and Child Protection.
• Effectively Manage Breach of Tenancy cases.

• Manage rent arrears, former tenant arrears, lock up arrears, factoring debts and rechargeable repairs ensuring all arrangements and contacts are logged on the housing management software accurately.
• Prepare and serve Notice of Proceedings.
• Prepare the relevant legal action and eviction reports for the attention of the Head of Neighbourhoods & Communities.
• Ensure that Solicitors receive instructions in good time for cases which are due to be called.
• Ensure customers’ incomes are maximised by providing a basic welfare rights service to include assistance with claiming Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and discretionary housing payments etc.
• To identify and implement a range of approaches to manage rent arrears, e.g., out of hours visits, telephone calls, and texting etc.

• Allocate and let properties working to minimise void properties and relet times.
• Sign up new tenants including assistance with claiming Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and the Scottish Welfare Fund etc.
• Lead pre tenancy workshops.
• Carry out housing options/pre tenancy interviews.
• Assessing housing applications in line with the Allocation Policy.
• Carry out transfer inspections identifying any issues and agreeing a plan to address them with the tenant.
• Following the pre termination process and advising tenants of any potential recharges and the tenant bonus to ensure that any financial loss to the…