Housing Options Officer

Mid Devon District Council; Tiverton; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Mid Devon District Council is seeking an Housing Options Officer to support households facing homelessness, assess referrals under the Homelessness Reduction Act, and provide comprehensive housing advice to help households understand options and prevent homelessness where possible.

You will work with partners, develop Personal Housing Plans, manage a varied caseload, and ensure statutory duties and timescales are met while delivering customer-focused services across the district.

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to join our busy and customer-focused Housing Options Team.

This is a rewarding and varied role where you will support households facing homelessness, helping them to understand their housing options and working proactively to prevent homelessness wherever possible. You will play a key role in ensuring the Council meets its statutory duties under housing and homelessness legislation while delivering excellent customer service to some of our most vulnerable residents.

Working closely with the Senior Housing Options Officer and wider Housing Options Teams, you will assess referrals and approaches from customers under the Homelessness Reduction Act, carrying out interviews both face-to-face and over the telephone. You will provide comprehensive housing advice and homelessness prevention support, develop Personal Housing Plans, and issue the relevant statutory notifications and legal correspondence.

The successful candidate will work with customers to identify realistic housing solutions, supporting them to access accommodation and sustain existing tenancies wherever possible. This may include facilitating grant applications, liaising with landlords and working with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies to maximise housing opportunities and improve long-term outcomes.

You will be responsible for making formal decisions on homelessness applications, completing eligibility and qualification assessments and making offers of affordable and suitable accommodation in accordance with legislation and policy.

A key aspect of the role involves managing a varied caseload, maintaining accurate and detailed case records, and ensuring all statutory duties and timescales are met. You will be expected to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of housing and homelessness legislation and apply this knowledge to deliver legally compliant and customer-focused decisions.

You will work in partnership with a wide range of internal and external organisations, including support agencies, housing providers, health services, benefits teams, and voluntary sector organisations to help customers overcome barriers to securing and maintaining accommodation.

The role requires excellent communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills, together with the ability to manage challenging situations professionally and sensitively. You will represent the Council at multi-agency meetings and forums and may be required to provide housing advice services at various locations across the district.

The ideal candidate will have experience of working within housing, homelessness or a related advice service, possess strong organisational skills, and be committed to delivering a high-quality, customer-focused service.

A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential as travel throughout the district may be required.

This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to make a real difference to the lives of people experiencing housing difficulties while developing a career within a professional and supportive team.

We welcome applications from individuals who may not meet every requirement but can demonstrate transferable skills and a genuine interest in this type of work.