Housing Review Officer

Coventry City Council; Coventry; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Housing Review Officer responsible for conducting statutory reviews related to homelessness and accommodation suitability. The ideal candidate will collaborate with various stakeholders to manage inquiries and contribute to the council's housing strategies. Applicants must possess comprehensive knowledge of housing law and demonstrate strong analytical and teamwork skills. This role offers impactful work within a dedicated team aimed at supporting vulnerable citizens.

Benefits

Rewards and benefits package

Guaranteed interview scheme for specific groups

Qualifications

• Ability to work closely with Housing and Homelessness teams and external stakeholders.
• Competence in monitoring review outcomes.
• Capability to deliver training to promote knowledge and skill development.

Responsibilities

• Conduct statutory reviews under section 202 of the Housing Act 1996.
• Handle allocations reviews and assess temporary accommodation suitability.
• Collaborate with external partners and respond to inquiries.

Skills

Collaborative Skills

Analytical and Reporting Skills

Organizational and Administrative Skills

Investigative and Compliance Skills

Knowledge Sharing and Feedback

Data Protection and Regulatory Awareness

Expertise in Housing Legislation

Training and Development Skills

Job description

The team are responsible for the delivery of the following service functions:

• Provision of the statutory homeless service
• Provision of temporary accommodation
• Management of the housing register
• Coordination of support to citizens sleeping rough
• Commissioning of homeless services
• Responsibility for housing strategy

The Council has a strategic vision that is clearly set out in both the Housing & Homelessness and the Rough Sleeping Strategies, which were both approved in 2019. By becoming part of an expanding team who are focused on preventing households from becoming homeless, as well as providing tailored support and interventions when someone does become homeless, this is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our city. We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create an inclusive workplace culture, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

What is the job role?

As a Housing Review Officer, you will conduct statutory reviews under section 202 of the Housing Act 1996 related to accommodation suitability. The role involves handling allocations reviews under the Housing Act 1996. You will review decisions under Part VI and Part VII, including suitability of temporary accommodation offers. You will collaborate with external partners, service users, their representatives, and agencies to manage statutory review enquiries and appeals. This includes assessing decisions regarding the discharge of both main and interim housing duties. You will also investigate and handle Stage 1 housing complaints and be responsible for answering Counsellor enquiries. All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Skills and Competencies

• Collaborative Skills – Ability to work closely with Housing and Homelessness teams and external stakeholders
• Analytical and Reporting Skills – Competence in monitoring review outcomes
• Organizational and Administrative Skills
• Investigative and Compliance Skills – Ability to investigate complaints and statutory reviews
• Knowledge Sharing and Feedback – sharing guidance on homelessness legislation with team members
• Data Protection and Regulatory Awareness – Understanding of statutory requirements and data protection principles
• Expertise in Housing Legislation – Comprehensive knowledge of housing law
• Training and Development Skills – Capability to deliver training to promote knowledge and skill development

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values

• Open and fair – We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop – We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower – We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate – We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable – We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect – We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

The Housing and Homelessness Service is a very busy environment and faces several challenges in meeting the housing needs of citizens of Coventry. The team has grown significantly over the last 12 months, reflecting the fact that Housing & Homelessness are now a key council priority.

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse. At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things. To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities. If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package – to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long‑term health condition