Homelessness Officer; Temp Accommodation & Main Duty

• Excellent

We have an exciting opportunity for a Permanent, Full Time, Homelessness Officer (Temp Accommodation & Main Duty) to join Southampton City Council (SCC) in the Homelessness Service.

The post holder must share in the work of the Homelessness Unit, in the community, whose function includes prevention and relief of homelessness and the provision and management of accommodation for homeless households and the discharge of the duties of the City Council under the Housing Act 1996 / Homelessness Act 2002 Part 7 (Housing the Homeless) and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

• To manage all temporary accommodation placements and ensure that Homeless duties are effectively and compliantly discharged in line with current Homelessness legislation.
• To advise and assist the Senior Housing Advisor to establish and monitor properties and enhance the management of the temporary accommodation to the development of new initiatives.
• To investigate and advise homeless households on social and domestic matters insofar as they relate to the temporary tenancy and council policy.
• To process the signing up and termination of temporary tenancies. To ensure all homeless families entering into temporary accommodation are fully briefed over their responsibilities – to continue to support families with complex needs in order to enable them to be responsible tenants.
• To ensure inspection of void homelessness properties are made prior to their acceptance, also ensure temporary accommodation is vacated by the outgoing family without undue delay.
• To provide information and advice on benefits and welfare to all tenants being supported, with particular focus on the benefit cap and universal credit.
• To monitor and investigate arrears of rent, seek arrangements for repayment including council tenants in arrears on debt management, with a view to prevent homelessness re-occurring for those tenants within the Homeseekers letting service.
• To make sure any repayment arrangements are sustainable and intensively managed.
• To carry out visits/interviews for homeless families in temporary accommodation to offer support/solutions and guidance on moving onto permanent housing. To ensure each tenant is tenancy ready in order to maintain long term unsupported accommodation.
• To provide intensive management of the households to eradicate any anti-social behaviour within the temporary accommodation units.
• To maintain effective lines of communication with internal staff and external agencies that we are working with.
• To identify outstanding repairs and request necessary work to technical staff and ensure that they are carried out in a timely manner.
• To be aware of safeguarding concerns and report any such concerns using the appropriate referral process.
• To prepare files and paperwork with sufficient evidence to attend court in order to prove any breaches of the temporary tenancy licence.
• To have a working knowledge of the Council’s Homelessness strategy with a focus on preventing homelessness. To undertake special project and procedural work as requested by senior staff, with regards to temporary accommodation.
• To record and maintain confidential case notes and client records on IT systems in accordance with professional and Council guidelines. To record accurate statistical information associated with homelessness to enable completion of statutory returns on homelessness required by government departments. To comply with all legal requirements set out under data protection legislation at all times.
• To participate in the emergency call out rota for homeless cases on a voluntary basis.

For further information about this role please view the job description.

• Ability to use manual and electronic filing systems.
• Telephone skills.
• Communication skills both written and verbal.
• Appreciation of customer care.
• Team working.
• To demonstrate an understanding of equality issues and how they affect the workplace and individual behaviours.
• To have an excellent level of I.T. literacy to be able to use self-service, digital user platforms and applications including Microsoft office.
• To have the confidence to support and challenge behaviours to…