Customer Accounts Officer

Southern Housing; Croydon; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Housing is seeking motivated, customer-focused people to support residents with arrears and debt recovery. You’ll handle a high volume of customer contact, provide practical payment solutions, and work with Housing, Legal and external agencies to maximise income while sustaining tenancies where possible.

The role reports to a Customer Accounts Team Manager and offers hybrid working options following training at the office.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills, both phone and written.
• Resilience and professionalism in challenging conversations.
• Strong organisation to manage high volumes and meet KPIs.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality arrears collection and debt recovery services for residents, former residents and homeowners.
• Manage a varied caseload of accounts, balancing income protection with tenancy sustainment.
• Provide practical advice, set up payment arrangements and work with external partners to resolve complex cases.

Job description

About The Role

About the role

We’re looking for motivated, customer focused people who enjoy solving problems and helping customers find sustainable solutions. At Southern Housing, we believe in delivering fair, respectful and effective services — and this role plays a vital part in supporting residents while protecting our income.

Reporting to a Customer Accounts Team Manager, you’ll be responsible for delivering a high quality arrears collection and debt recovery service for residents, former residents and homeowners. You’ll manage a varied caseload of accounts, balancing our belief that rent should be paid with our commitment to sustaining tenancies wherever possible.

You’ll handle a high volume of customer contact across multiple channels, offering practical advice, setting up payment arrangements and working collaboratively with colleagues and external partners to resolve complex cases. You’ll also make appropriate use of legal and enforcement tools in line with policies and regulatory requirements.

This role is based at our office xxx

You’ll be expected to complete your training and probation from the office, with hybrid working options available following this.

About you

If you’re confident communicating with customers, resilient in challenging conversations, and motivated by achieving results while doing the right thing, you’ll fit right in. Experience in income, arrears or debt recovery is helpful, but what matters most is your ability to work with customers professionally, empathetically and consistently.

You’ll bring:

• Strong communication skills: confident on the phone and in writing, with the ability to explain information clearly
• Resilience and professionalism: remaining calm and respectful during difficult or sensitive conversations
• Excellent organisation: managing high volumes of work and meeting KPIs and deadlines
• Good negotiation and influencing skills: working towards sustainable solutions
• A customer focused mindset: balancing income protection with tenancy sustainment
• Confidence using IT systems: accurately recording actions and managing accounts

About the team

You’ll work as part of a dedicated Customer Accounts team, responsible for managing arrears across a range of tenures. The team works closely with Housing, Legal, Social Impact, ASB and external agencies to maximise income, minimise debt, and support residents to maintain their homes wherever possible.

About Us

At Southern Housing, our residents are at the heart of everything we do. As one of the largest housing providers in the UK with over 77,000 homes across London, the Southeast, the Isle of Wight, and the Midlands, we give over 167,000 people somewhere affordable to call their own! We also understand the difference that safe, secure, and affordable homes can make to people’s lives.

A career at Southern Housing will allow you to make a difference every day you come to work. Working in the housing sector with us will bring fresh challenges and give you the opportunity to grow and develop, too.