Accommodation Officer

HQN Ltd; Colchester; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Colchester Borough Homes is seeking a dynamic individual for a fixed-term 12-month, 37-hour week role focused on housing support and Private Sector Leasing schemes. The role involves liaising with landlords, arranging tenancies, and ensuring safe properties through HHSRS inspections.

The ideal candidate will have strong communication, negotiation skills, and the ability to coordinate with partner agencies to deliver positive outcomes for customers in temporary and permanent accommodations.

Qualifications

• Experience in housing-related support.
• Ability to negotiate with landlords.
• Knowledge of tenant/landlord relations and housing policy.
• Ability to monitor rent accounts and licences/tenancies.

Responsibilities

• Lead in procuring accommodation for Private Sector Leasing and HomeSteps schemes.
• Conduct HHSRS inspections to ensure safety and address hazards.
• Arrange tenancies, negotiate with landlords and agents.
• Source private rented accommodation for Home Step scheme.
• Allocate customers to suitable properties and manage move on from temporary accommodation.
• Coordinate support services with partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes.

Skills

Customer engagement

Negotiation

Housing support

Property licensing

Rent accounts

Job description

1 x 12 months Fixed Term – 37 hours, Monday to Friday

This is a career grade role with appointments relevant to experience and qualifications.

We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic, confident, self-motivated individual with excellent communication skills.

Your main roles will include:

• To take the lead in procuring private sector accommodation for both the Private Sector Leasing and HomeSteps Schemes
• Carrying out HHSRS inspections when required to ensure properties are safe to let and there are no significant Hazards
• If hazards are discovered liaise with the landlords and the Councils Private Sector Housing team , if appropriate to that defects can be addressed
• Arranging, tenancies and or licences by way of negotiation with private sector l andlords and agents.
• Negotiating with private sector landlords with a view to sourcing private rented accommodation for our Home Step scheme.
• Assessment and allocation of customers to suitable properties.
• Arranging timely move on from Bed & Breakfast and temporary accommodation.
• Delivering and arranging support for those living in temporary accommodation provided by Colchester Borough Homes and partner organisations.
• Managing a reactive and changing workload.
• Assessing and identifying individual’s needs, to recommend and sign-post appropriate support for customers.
• Working with partner agencies and colleagues in a holistic way to ensure positive outcomes.

Your innovative approach will be matched by a combination of previous customer engagement and support experience and delivery of housing related support, good negotiation skills. You will help to monitor rent accounts, maintain licences /tenancies and provide general advice tenants/licensees in accommodation. To offer a flexible and responsive service that is sensitive to our customer’s needs. Liaising with Private Sector Landlords and letting agents with a view to sourcing private rented accommodation for our Private Sector scheme and building relationships with landlords and agents and other partner agencies.

Please note it is Colchester Borough Homes policy to appoint at the bottom of the scale.