Court Officer – Temporary Accommodation , Temporary Accommodation Strategy

birmingham.gov.uk; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Court Officer to join the Temporary Accommodation Income Team within the Rents Service. You will manage arrears, licence accounts and prepare legal documentation while ensuring fair, proportionate enforcement in complex cases.

The post involves court proceedings support, liaison with legal representatives and customers, and collaboration with Income Officers. The role requires 36.5 hours per week and a valid right to work in the UK.

Qualifications

• Experience of analysing financial information, accounts and arrears data to support decision-making and income recovery.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to prepare reports and legal documents to support court proceedings.
• Knowledge of welfare benefits, housing legislation and safeguarding requirements.

Responsibilities

• Manage temporary accommodation licence accounts, monitoring arrears and taking action to prevent debt escalation and maximise income recovery.
• Prepare and process legal documentation, including notices, witness statements, evidence bundles and court applications.
• Represent the Rent Service at court hearings and negotiations, liaising with legal representatives and customers.
• Provide guidance to customers on licence obligations, arrears recovery and payment arrangements with fair enforcement.
• Identify safeguarding concerns and make appropriate referrals in line with policies and procedures.
• Maintain accurate account records and update case management systems with actions and outcomes.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders, prepare performance information and respond to enquiries.

Job description

Court Officer – Temporary Accommodation

Permanent

Grade C- £ £36,581 - £45,529

Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Equal Pay Programme

Working 36.5 hours per week

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

About the role

The Temporary Accommodation Income Team forms part of the Rents Service within Finance, providing a co-ordinated approach to income collection and debt recovery. This is an exciting time to join our developing team, with these new roles enhancing the existing structure and strengthening our ability to support residents, prevent debt escalation and reduce the Council’s overall debt.

We’re looking for proactive, resilient and customer-focused Temporary Accommodation Court Officers to join our Income Team. You’ll manage complex arrears cases involving households in temporary accommodation, progressing appropriate enforcement action and ensuring recovery action is timely, fair and proportionate, while working to prevent further debt escalation.

You’ll manage temporary accommodation licence accounts, taking a proactive approach to arrears prevention, income recovery and enforcement. You’ll prepare legal documentation, support court proceedings and represent the Council when required, ensuring all actions are fair, proportionate and compliant with relevant legislation and policies.

Working closely with Income Officers, Locality Management Officers, Legal Services and external partners, you’ll help maximise income, minimise financial losses and support customers to understand their licence obligations and payment responsibilities. You’ll also identify safeguarding concerns, maintain accurate records and contribute to service performance and continuous improvement.

What you’ll be doing

• Manage temporary accommodation licence accounts, monitoring arrears and taking appropriate action to prevent debt escalating and maximise income recovery.


• Prepare and process legal documentation, including notices, witness statements, evidence bundles and court applications, ensuring information is accurate and complies with relevant legislation and procedures.


• Represent the Rent Service at court hearings and negotiations where required, presenting cases on behalf of the Council and liaising with legal representatives, customers and their advocates.


• Provide guidance to customers on licence obligations, legal processes, arrears recovery and payment arrangements, ensuring decisions and enforcement action are fair, proportionate and consistent.


• Identify safeguarding concerns and additional support needs, making appropriate referrals and working with relevant agencies in line with Council policies and procedures.


• Maintain accurate account records and update case management systems with recovery actions, decisions, court outcomes and enforcement activity, ensuring information is complete and up to date.


• Work collaboratively with internal teams and external stakeholders, prepare performance information and management reports, respond to enquiries from Councillors, MPs and other stakeholders, and contribute to audits and service improvements.

What we’re looking for

• Experience of analysing financial information, accounts and arrears data to support decision-making and effective income recovery.


• Experience of managing complex workloads, prioritising competing demands and working effectively under pressure with minimal supervision.


• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to prepare accurate reports, legal documentation and evidence to support court proceedings.


• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to engage with customers, colleagues, legal representatives and stakeholders at different levels.


• Good IT and administrative skills, including the ability to interrogate, update and retrieve information from computer systems and use Microsoft Office applications.


• Knowledge of welfare benefits, housing legislation and the processes involved in temporary accommodation income recovery, alongside an understanding of safeguarding and equality requirements.


• A collaborative and proactive approach, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues, support others through guidance and advice, and contribute to planning and delivering service objectives within allocated time and resources.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, andwe arecommitted to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.

We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.

For any informal enquires please contact:[e-mail]

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken.

Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.