Housing Advice & Prevention Officer (12 months fixed term contract)

Havant Borough & East Hampshire District Councils; Havant; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Havant is seeking Housing Advice & Prevention Officers to assist residents in maintaining their homes and finding accommodation solutions. The role requires excellent customer service skills, empathy, and the ability to manage a diverse caseload in a busy front-line environment. Candidates should be proactive and adaptable, demonstrating strong organisational skills. A competitive salary and benefits package is offered, including flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Support for continuous professional development

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working/Hybrid work

Comprehensive benefits package

Qualifications

• Ability to support people through difficult periods.
• Experience in multi-tasking and case management.
• Knowledge of homelessness legislation is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Interview customers about their housing situation.
• Negotiate with landlords and housing providers.
• Manage a large caseload effectively.

Skills

Excellent customer service skills

Organisational skills

Negotiation skills

Empathy

Job description

Job Advert

We are currently looking for Housing Advice & Prevention Officers to join the Housing Team helping residents to remain in their homes and assisting with finding alternative accommodation solutions where needed.

This exciting role will suit an empathetic and forward‑thinking person with excellent customer service skills, who is able to support people through difficult periods.

We are a busy front‑line service dealing with customers who may be vulnerable and facing homelessness. We give advice, work to prevent homelessness, assist people to resolve their housing need and make assessments of housing and support needs in accordance with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and the Housing Act 1996. We are committed to excellent customer service, and to listening to and understand our customers' circumstances, and working collaboratively with them to identify housing solutions.

Responsibilities

Every day is different, which means you need to be an expert multi‑tasker, proactive and have an adaptable approach in the way you work. You will be interviewing customers over the telephone and face to face about their housing situation and working with them to find a solution to their housing issues. This may involve negotiation with landlords, other housing providers, family members and internal and external agencies.

You will need to manage a large case load, prioritise your work and have excellent organisational skills.

What we offer

• A competitive salary
• Support for your continuous professional development
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible working/Hybrid working to support your work‑life balance
• A comprehensive benefits package, find out more on our website www.havant.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers

Contact

Jacqueline Burnett-Pitt, Housing Manager (Options & Advice)
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]@havant.gov.uk

To Apply

Please click apply and complete the short application process (3‑4 minutes). Please ensure you attach your CV and a supporting statement, when completing your application on our recruitment platform Hireful – www.havant.gov.uk/jobs-us-apply-now. We will not be able to progress your application further unless you provide a supporting statement detailing how you meet the essential and desirable criteria in the role profile.

Closing date

Closing date for receipt of applications is midnight on 9 December 2025 and interviews will be held on 22 December 2025 & 7 January 2026.

Additional information

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. We would encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. Due to the current employment climate, we are receiving a high number of applicants for each post and as such may not be able to acknowledge receipt of your application. You will however be notified as to whether you made the shortlist soon after the closing date.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

We want our workforce to reflect our diverse local communities, therefore, we encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. https://www.havant.gov.uk/our-organisation/equality-and-diversity. The council is an inclusive employer and appoints on merit. We are a Disability Confident Employer and have a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Veterans.

Safeguarding and Emergency

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff members to share this commitment. Havant Borough Council is a Category 1 Responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. All employees of the Authority will be expected to support any necessary actions required during an emergency response.