Job Details
Overview:
The Private Rented Sector Access Officer position primarily involves fieldwork, including office attendance as needed. It requires conducting regular sessions at Council Hostels to promote private rented sector (PRS) housing options and occasional home visits when necessary.
The primary focus of this role is to assist customers in temporary accommodation or those about to enter it. This involves identifying, assisting, and empowering customers to transition into the private rented sector (PRS) and, where possible, supporting them to remain on Hammersmith and Fulham's Housing Register after moving into PRS housing. Additionally, the role entails assessing referrals from Temporary Accommodation (TA) Housing Officers to explore PRS housing options for tenants.
The ideal candidate should be a housing specialist with extensive knowledge of the London Private Rental Market and the affordability challenges faced by Londoners. The role involves providing a comprehensive housing options service, collaborating with private sector landlords and letting agents to help customers secure suitable and affordable accommodation, thereby preventing homelessness. It also entails developing processes to facilitate the move from costly temporary accommodation to affordable private rented accommodation, all while ensuring that objectives, targets, and quality standards are met, and high levels of customer service are maintained.
Role Purpose:
The primary purpose of this role is to provide a comprehensive housing options service by working with private sector landlords and letting agents to secure suitable and affordable accommodation for homeless clients or those at risk of homelessness. This includes matching homeless clients with available accommodation while ensuring that objectives, targets, and quality standards are met, and a high level of customer service is maintained. The role also involves developing and implementing new processes and systems to support recent policy changes aimed at transitioning households from costly temporary accommodation to independent accommodation in the private sector.
Role Duties:
Prevent Homelessness and Facilitate Move-On: Prevent homelessness by following established processes for efficient move-on from costly temporary accommodation to affordable private rented accommodation both within and outside the borough. This includes collaborating with external partners like Capital Letters and West London OOL Project.
Develop PRS Tenants Register: Create and maintain a PRS Tenants Register by extracting data from different housing databases. This register promotes good quality private rented accommodation and helps the council meet its homelessness reduction goals. Stay updated on statutory changes, compliance with Code of Guidance, and legal positions related to discharging the housing duty.
Suitability and Affordability Decisions: Make legally correct suitability and affordability decisions when discharging the Council's housing duty for clients moving into private rented accommodation, adhering to homeless suitability legislation.
Legal Knowledge: Maintain a detailed knowledge of relevant housing legislation, landlord and tenant legislation, and relevant statutes, case law, and Council policies related to homelessness prevention and relief.
Response to Inquiries and Complaints: Respond to inquiries and customer complaints within specified timescales and procedures, including providing written and verbal briefings and reports for various stakeholders.
Housing Solutions Package: Monitor and review the housing solutions package and housing solutions database to ensure they meet the needs of landlords and letting agents.
Customer Service: Ensure excellent customer service by empathizing with homeless clients, demonstrating a willingness to help and support at all times.
Engage with Partners: Collaborate with partners to support clients in finding suitable accommodation in the private rented sector, negotiate rent and tenancy terms with private landlords on behalf of clients, and conduct property inspections when required.
Performance Objectives: Achieve individual performance objectives, targets, and service standards while contributing to the achievement of team plan objectives and targets.
Policy Compliance: Comply with all relevant policies, procedures, and working practices, including equal opportunities, domestic abuse, racial and sexual harassment, transfers between dwellings, and responding to emergencies.
Stakeholder Relationships: Develop and maintain effective relationships with relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, including colleagues, social care, health and welfare services, and other relevant bodies.
Training: Attend training courses as required to fulfil the duties of the role and enhance performance as needed.
Time-keeping: Accurate record-keeping is crucial, as you will need to draw upon customer engagement data to efficiently refer customers to private rented properties sourced by our in-house Procurement Team and external procurement partner, Capital Letters.
This role plays a crucial part in addressing homelessness and facilitating the transition of individuals and families into secure and affordable housing in the private rented sector, contributing to the well-being of the community.
If you are passionate about your community and would like to contribute to our efforts, Apply Today!
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