Housing Solutions Officer

Housing Quality Network; Colchester; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Colchester Borough Homes is seeking a Housing Solutions Officer for a 12-month fixed-term maternity cover based in Colchester. You will manage demand for housing services, offer detailed advice, and work to prevent homelessness.

You will assess applications for housing across all tenures, determine duties owed, and collaborate with partner agencies to meet residents' needs while achieving service targets.

Qualifications

• Understanding of Housing Act 1996 Part 7 (as amended) and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.
• Customer-focused with ability to manage a varied workload.
• Ability to assess housing applications and determine duties owed.

Responsibilities

• Provide information and advice to applicants with housing needs.
• Assess applications for housing options across tenures.
• Work with partners to prevent homelessness and meet duties.

Job description

12 months Fixed Term, Maternity Cover, Full time, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday

This is a career grade role with appointments relevant to experience and qualifications.

Colchester Borough Homes (CBH) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Colchester City Council. As part of the local business community since 2003, we are anaward-winning organisation,providing management and maintenance services to around 7,000 residential, commercial and public buildings throughout the Borough, including the Council housing stock, Colchester Castle and Colchester Town Hall.

CBH is a fantastic place to work, delivering vital services and making a real difference to our tenants and leaseholders’ lives. We aim to be a trusted choice for local housing, property and community services. We are an ambitious organisation focused on delivering great value services that make a difference.

Our Housing Solutions service is prevention and relief focused in which we look to work with applicants to manage any threats of homelessness and help prevent homelessness or find alternative accommodation.

The service faces a range of challenges, with an increasing demand for accommodation without an adequate supply of housing. We have made significant changes and developments as a service and achieve effective results.

We are looking for a Housing Solutions Officer with an understanding of the Housing Act 1996 Part 7 (as amended) and of the of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017.

You will be customer focussed and be able to manage a wide and varied workload, whilst meeting our business objectives and performance targets.

The Housing Solutions Officer will assist in managing demand for the council housing services while offering advice and support to members of the public.

An instrumental element of the role will involve managing client expectations and building trusting relationships.

To provide detailed and complex information, advice and assistance to individuals with a housing need and to prevent homelessness by providing assistance with a range of housing options across the full range of tenures including assessing applications for housing register. To make appropriate homelessness decision s in line with legislation and caselaw to ensure that applicants meet the relevant criteria and to determine duties owed . To work with partner agencies to ensure that the needs of the applicant are supported and met.