Housing Triage Officer

The Methodist Church in Britain; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing experience

Job summary

The Portsmouth City Council Housing Needs Advice & Support team is hiring a frontline housing adviser on a permanent, full-time basis. You will be the first point of contact for customers facing homelessness, offering face-to-face, telephone and email support and gathering information to assess needs.

You will advise on the housing register, homelessness and private renting, explain social housing eligibility and signpost to other services.

Qualifications

• Experience of, and interest in, the issues facing vulnerable and homeless people and households in housing need.

Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact for customers needing housing help by face to face, by phone and by email.
• Listen to customers and make an initial assessment of their circumstances, gathering information.
• Give advice on housing issues, including the Portsmouth Housing Register, homelessness and private renting.
• Explain the criteria for accessing social housing.
• Signpost customers to other relevant services where appropriate.
• Identify the main presenting demand and refer customers to the correct team for further assessment.
• Make assessments of housing and support needs under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Housing Act 1996 and the Allocations Policy.
• Work to prevent homelessness and help customers resolve their housing need.
• Follow internal safeguarding policies and take appropriate action on concerns.
• Keep clear records of each contact using IT systems.
• Undertake other administrative duties as required.

Skills

Listening skills

Verbal & written communication

Organisational skills

Empathy

Problem solving

IT skills

Job description

This permanent post sits in Portsmouth City Council's Housing Needs Advice & Support team, which handles front-line enquiries from people facing homelessness. The core of the work is first contact: assessing each customer's circumstances, advising on the housing register, homelessness and private renting, and passing complex cases to the right team. Contact is face to face, by phone and by email with vulnerable people, so calm judgement matters as much as housing knowledge. Right to work in the UK is required, and a detailed personal statement is expected.

What the job involves

• Act as first point of contact for customers needing housing help, face to face, by phone and by email
• Listen to customers and make an initial assessment of their circumstances, gathering information
• Give advice on housing issues, including the Portsmouth Housing Register, homelessness and private renting
• Explain the criteria for accessing social housing
• Signpost customers to other relevant services where appropriate
• Identify the main presenting demand and refer customers to the correct team for further assessment
• Make assessments of housing and support needs under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Housing Act 1996 and the Allocations Policy
• Work to prevent homelessness and help customers resolve their housing need
• Follow internal safeguarding policies and take appropriate action on concerns
• Keep clear records of each contact using IT systems
• Undertake other administrative duties as required

Experience

• Experience of, and interest in, the issues facing vulnerable and homeless people and households in housing need

Skills & knowledge

• Excellent listening skills and ability to gather information to understand customer needs
• Clear verbal and written communication in accurate spoken English, including explaining housing policy
• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise demand
• Empathy and tactful, sensitive handling of enquiries
• Ability to think on their feet and find solutions
• IT skills suited to a busy office

Checks & eligibility

• Right to work in the UK

Other

• Flexible and able to respond to changing priorities and levels of demand
• Emotional resilience and professional detachment when delivering difficult messages
• Awareness of equalities issues and commitment to equal opportunities
• Understanding of safeguarding and ability to recognise concerns and take appropriate action
• Works proactively and stays motivated on own initiative
• Excellent team player

What’s offered

• Opportunity to gain wide housing experience and develop customer-facing skills