Housing Debt Recovery Officer

North Northamptonshire Council; Kettering; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid and flexible working

Employee Benefits Scheme

Wellbeing support

Job summary

North Northamptonshire Council is seeking a motivated Housing Debt Recovery Officer to join the Housing Finance Team. You will manage former tenant arrears and other housing debts, balancing supportive budgeting with effective recovery actions and court processes where needed.

You will engage customers via calls, emails, letters and home visits, provide budgeting advice, and promote welfare benefits. A minimum of three years in debt recovery within housing is required, with strong communication

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years' experience in a debt recovery, income management or similar housing-related role.
• Experience working within a local authority, housing association or registered provider environment.
• Knowledge of housing legislation, debt recovery processes and County Court small claims procedures.
• Excellent communication, interviewing and negotiation skills, with the ability to build positive relationships and achieve successful outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of former tenant arrears, garage rents, service charges, rechargeable repairs and other housing-related debts.
• Contact customers by telephone, email, letter, office interview and home visit to discuss outstanding debts and agree affordable repayment arrangements.
• Carry out financial assessments and provide budgeting and debt advice to help customers sustain repayments.
• Promote welfare benefits, grants and other support available to residents experiencing financial hardship.
• Investigate and trace debtors, maintain accurate records and identify the most appropriate recovery action.
• Prepare and present small claims cases through the County Court and monitor compliance with court orders.
• Work closely with housing colleagues, legal services, external agencies and community partners to achieve positive outcomes for customers.

Skills

Excellent communication

Negotiation skills

IT skills

Analytical skills

Education

GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English

Job description

We are looking for a motivated and customer-focused Housing Debt Recovery Officer to join our Housing Finance Team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting tenants, former tenants and leaseholders. Reporting to the Senior Housing Finance Officer, you will manage a caseload of former tenant arrears and other housing-related debts, balancing a supportive approach with effective recovery action. The Housing Finance Team is made up of experienced finance, debt recovery and administration professionals who work closely together across our offices in Corby and Kettering. As part of Housing Services, you will contribute to our vision of delivering visible, supportive and responsive services that put residents at the heart of what we do. No two days are the same. You'll have the opportunity to make a real difference by helping customers manage their finances, preventing debt where possible, and taking appropriate action to recover money owed to the Council. What will you be doing? As a Housing Debt Recovery Officer, you will:

• Manage a portfolio of former tenant arrears, garage rents, service charges, rechargeable repairs and other housing-related debts.
• Contact customers by telephone, email, letter, office interview and home visit to discuss outstanding debts and agree affordable repayment arrangements.
• Carry out financial assessments and provide practical budgeting and debt advice to help customers sustain repayments and maximise their income.
• Promote welfare benefits, grants and other support available to residents experiencing financial hardship.
• Investigate and trace debtors, maintain accurate records and identify the most appropriate recovery action.
• Prepare and present small claims cases through the County Court and monitor compliance with court orders.
• Work closely with housing colleagues, legal services, external agencies and community partners to achieve positive outcomes for customers.
• Contribute to service improvements and support the delivery of excellent services to tenants and residents., Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

Customer-focused Respectful Efficient Supportive Trustworthy Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

We are looking for someone who is confident, resilient and passionate about providing excellent customer service.,

• A minimum of three years' experience in a debt recovery, income management or similar housing-related role.
• Experience working within a local authority, housing association or registered provider environment.
• Knowledge of housing legislation, debt recovery processes and County Court small claims procedures.
• Excellent communication, interviewing and negotiation skills, with the ability to build positive relationships and achieve successful outcomes.
• The ability to manage a varied workload, work independently and meet performance targets.
• Strong IT, analytical and report-writing skills.
• Experience of supporting customers who may be vulnerable or experiencing complex financial circumstances.
• A proactive and solution-focused approach, with the confidence to make decisions and drive improvements.
• GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use.

In return, you'll join a supportive team environment with opportunities to develop your career within Housing Services and the wider Council.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we're transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people. You'll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think! Why choose us? We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.