Housing Officer

Cornerstone House; Exeter; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornerstone House is seeking a Housing Officer to deliver customer‑focused housing management across tenancy, lettings, arrears and neighbourhood management. You will work to ensure customer voice is heard and drive improvements in service delivery.

You will monitor outcomes with the management team, conduct tenancy visits, handle safeguarding and anti‑social behaviour issues, and collaborate with partners to sustain tenancies and promote neighbourhood wellbeing.

Qualifications

• Right to work in the United Kingdom
• Satisfactory Basic DBS check
• Full driving licence
• Maths, ICT and English at good standard
• CIH Level 3 in Housing Practice or above (Desirable)

Responsibilities

• Provide excellent housing management services to customers including tenancy and neighbourhood management, lettings, arrears and customer involvement.
• Ensure customers' voices are heard and input into service delivery.
• Monitor outcomes in key performance areas with the management team.
• Carry out tenancy monitoring and supporting tenancies with flexible, trauma‑informed approach.

Skills

Good communication

Interpersonal skills

Listening & negotiation

Teamwork

Problem solving

Organisational skills

Education

CIH Level 3 in Housing Practice or above

Job description

To provide a customer focused housing management service that works with customers, colleagues and partners to create neighbourhoods and communities that people love to come home to.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Main Tasks

• To provide excellent housing management services to customers and potential customers including tasks in tenancy and neighbourhood management, lettings, arrears and customer involvement and empowerment.
• To ensure that customers voice is being heard and that customers have meaningful input into service delivery.
• To monitor own outcomes in key performance areas in collaboration with, and under the direction of, the management team.

1. TENANCY MANAGEMENT

• Carry out tenancy visits to new and existing customers as part of targeted or routine tenancy monitoring. Assist with tenancy monitoring data management as required and provide support to colleagues to ensure effective tenancy management as required.
• Take a holistic approach to managing tenancies, employing creative solutions and working with customers to resolve issues and sustain tenancies.
• Give due consideration to and document resident protected characteristics and vulnerabilities, demonstrating reasonable adjustments, before considering enforcement action.
• Work with individual customers and other agencies to ensure support needs are being met and that customers are signposted to services and resources which may improve their health and wellbeing.
• Identify safeguarding issues, open and manage cases, refer and signpost customers appropriately in accordance with procedures and best practice. Work in partnership with other agencies to ensure the safety of vulnerable or at risk customers and their households.
• Investigate and work collaboratively, with other agencies as required, to help resolve nuisance and anti‑social behaviour using all available tools from early intervention through to enforcement. Case management of anti‑social behaviour, including implementing enforcement and legal action.
• Take a trauma‑based approach to both supporting victims of ASB and perpetrators of ASB, aiming to understand their needs and find creative resolutions.
• Identify, investigate and resolve tenancy‑related fraud.
• Keep up to date with legislation, policy, procedures and best practice and share knowledge with the team.

2. ESTATE MANAGEMENT

• Carry out regular estate and communal area visits to monitor the safety, appearance and upkeep of estates and the delivery of services to customers.
• Work positively and collaboratively with customers, caretakers, cleaners, gardeners and maintenance staff to address areas of concern and to bring about neighbourhood improvements where needed.

3. LETTINGS

• Carry out property inspections and liaise with outgoing customers and colleagues to minimise maintenance works and re‑let times.
• Assess housing applicant eligibility and suitability for housing and identify and address support needs to promote tenancy sustainability, signposting to services and working with partners.
• Provide a welcoming and informative service for new customers via viewings and sign‑ups.
• Review and assess mutual‑exchange applications.
• Provide support to the Lettings Officer, and cover for the role, as necessary.
• Work with under‑occupiers, supporting them to downsize where possible.

4. RENT ARREARS

• Engage positively with customers to prevent and minimise rent arrears and other debts, signposting them for further support and assistance where needed.
• Provide cover for other colleagues in managing customer accounts, following the relevant policies and procedures.
• Work with vacating tenants to ensure that they clear their rent account before their tenancy terminates to maximise income streams.
• Support tenants to engage with agencies to improve their financial health.

5. CUSTOMER VOICE, INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

• Welcome and encourage customer feedback and work positively to resolve customer concerns.
• Seek to identify individual customers or groups of customers that could become more involved in customer scrutiny or engagement work.
• Co‑ordinate and attend engagement activities, work with partners and help customers and the wider communities to come together to take action on things that are important to them.
• Contribute to the development of customer communications relevant to your role, including newsletters, leaflets, guides, social media and other promotional material.
• Work proactively with Estate Champions who represent their communities to make positive changes for the benefit of all residents.

6. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

• Measure and monitor your own outcomes in all housing related key performance areas including customer satisfaction and engagement, tenancy and estate management.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement in all service areas to ensure that we are actively seeking to provide excellent services to our customers.
• Adhere to customer service standards to endure customer satisfaction.

7. GENERAL DUTIES

• Promote Cornerstone’s vision and values in all that you do.
• Work positively and collaboratively with customers, colleagues, other agencies, and third parties to ensure strong working relationships and a good standard of service delivery to customers.
• Ensure that you are fully acquainted with and follow the law, regulation, policies and procedures as they relate to your post.
• Observe and promote Cornerstone’s Health & Safety policies and procedures at all times.
• Ensure all data is handled in accordance with GDPR and in line with both the Information security and data management policies. Take ownership of the quality and accuracy of processing data and its appropriate storage, transfer and retention.
• Treat customers and colleagues with respect ensuring people feel included and that diversity is valued. Observe and promote our equality, diversity & inclusion policies and procedures at all times.
• Take ownership of your own professional development as relevant to your role.
• Keep all duties of the post‑holder under review and make recommendations for any improvements in policies and procedures to your line manager.
• After hours work will be required within the scope of the role, including attendance at meetings.
• Any other duties appropriate to your position as may be identified from time to time.

8. DELEGATED AUTHORITY

• To implement all Cornerstone housing management policies and procedures up to court applications where applicable, under the guidance of the Housing & Customer Engagement Manager and the Director of Housing.
• To liaise with other agencies on behalf of Cornerstone concerning matters for which the post‑holder has responsibility.

9. DEPUTISING

• In the post‑holder’s absence, their duties will be performed by the other members of the Housing team as directed by Housing and Customer Engagement Manager.

Person Specification

• Basic Eligibility
  • Right to work within the United Kingdom – Essential. (ID and Online Check)
  • Satisfactory Basic DBS check – Essential. (Any offer of employment will be conditional on you satisfying these requirements)
  • Valid, full driving license that will be checked for eligibility at periodic intervals – Essential. (ID & Online Verification)
• Qualification Eligibility
  • Good standard of general education including Math, ICT and English – Essential. (Application & Certificates)
  • CIH Level 3 in Housing Practice or above, or willing to work towards it – Desirable
• Knowledge and Skills
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills with people at all levels – Essential. (Application & Interview)
  • Able to listen, mediate, negotiate, work collaboratively, be persuasive and decisive – Essential
  • Able to deal in a professional manner with colleagues and people outside the organisation – Essential
  • Resilient and able to manage challenging situations and a busy environment – Essential
  • Highly organised and able to manage and prioritise own workload to meet targets and deadlines under pressure – Essential
  • Flexible and self‑motivated, able to work on own initiative and as a part of a team – Essential
  • Effective problem solver – Essential
  • Attention to detail – Essential
  • Positive, can‑do attitude – Essential
  • Basic health and safety awareness – Essential
  • Computer literate and fully conversant with uses of information technology in business – Essential
  • Good working knowledge of housing legislation and good practice – Essential
  • Competent at dealing with tenancy breaches including taking cases to court – Essential
  • Able to effectively manage anti-social behaviour cases from start to finish – Essential
  • Able to work effectively with tenant groups – Essential
  • Effective problem solver, who can work on own initiative and as part of a team – Essential
• Experience
  • Experience of delivering housing and estate management services in the social housing sector – Essential. (Application & Interview)
  • Worked to performance targets – Essential
  • Worked to policies and procedures – Essential
  • Experience of developing effective working relationships with customers and partners – Essential
• Interpersonal Skills
  • Demonstrate empathy, patience, and understanding of tenants’ needs and requirements – Essential. (Application & Interview)
  • Understanding the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace – Essential
  • Commitment to providing the best possible service to tenants – Essential
  • Awareness of customer vulnerabilities and safeguarding matters, experience of working within a multi‑disciplinary safeguarding partnership – Desirable
• Other
  • Willingness to undertake other duties as determined by the housing manager – Essential. (Application & Interview)
  • Willingness to work outside of normal working hours as required – Essential
  • Willingness to safely lone work outside of the office environment and in tenants homes – Essential
  • Commitment to continuing professional development – Essential
  • Commitment to continuous service improvement – Essential
  • Knowledge of different property types and standard repair issues – Desirable

Closing Date: 23/07/2026 9.00am