Income Accounting Officer - 2 posts

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council; Lower Blandford St Mary; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

BCP Council is recruiting two Income Accounting Officers to join the Income Team, working 37 hours per week with flexible and part-time options.

You will set up and maintain rent accounts, process payments, reconcile balances and support rent verification, while delivering a high standard of customer service to tenants and collaborating with internal and external partners to maximise income.

Qualifications

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in Maths and English.
• Experience in a local authority, housing association, or similar customer-focused environment is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Set up, maintain, update and close rent accounts, ensuring records are accurate and up to date.
• Process financial transactions, including direct debits, refunds, transfers, payments and authorised write-offs.
• Ensure rent and benefit payments are accurately credited to customer accounts in a timely manner.
• Reconcile rent accounts, suspense balances and payment allocations, investigating and resolving discrepancies.
• Respond to customer enquiries relating to rent accounts, referring more complex issues to Income Officers.
• Administer key income management processes, including handling post, monitoring team mailboxes and issuing rent letters, statements and payment cards.
• Verify rent information for benefit purposes and liaise with internal and external organisations.
• Process updates relating to debt relief schemes and other income-related requirements.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and legislation.
• Provide administrative support to the wider Income Team as required.
• Deliver excellent customer service and contribute to the effective collection and management of income for the Council.

Skills

Customer service

Attention to detail

IT systems

Organisation

Education

GCSEs Maths and English

Job description

Job Introduction

Starting salary for this role is £29,542 (pro rata for part-time colleagues).

This role sits within a well defined pay band, offering clear progression as you grow your career at BCP. Without exception all new starters begin at the entry point of the band, ensuring fairness and consistency across the organisation. Be part of a forward thinking workplace where you're supported to grow and you can truly #BeTheDifference at BCP.

Internal colleagues are also normally appointed at the bottom of the band, unless moving within the same profession and skill level, where the pay band is the same they can be appointed to the existing pay point.

Learn more in our 'More than just a job' brochure on our careers site.

Helping to sustain the tenancies of BCP Homes tenants.

BCP Homes manages around 10,000 homes and provides a range of services to support tenants in sustaining their tenancies. The Income Accounting Officer role sits within the BCP Homes Income Team, which forms part of the wider Income & Leasehold Service.

The Income Team plays a vital role in supporting tenants to manage their rent accounts and meet their tenancy responsibilities. As the first point of contact for many customers, the team provides advice on rent payments and access to support services when tenants are experiencing financial difficulties. The focus is on helping tenants find practical solutions to enable them to sustain their tenancies.

The team is committed to maximising rental income while supporting tenants through early intervention, proactive engagement and partnership working with internal teams and external agencies. By identifying support needs at an early stage and promoting positive payment habits, the team helps tenants maintain their homes and financial wellbeing.

The service is led by the Leasehold & Income Service Manager and consists of Senior Income Officers, Income Officers, Income Accounting Officers and Housing Charges Officers, who work together to deliver an effective and customer-focused service.

Role Purpose

BCP Homes is looking for two Income Accounting Officers to join the Income Team, working 37 hours per week. Flexible and part-time working arrangements will be considered.

This is an important support role responsible for the administration and maintenance of rent accounts, ensuring records are accurate and payments are processed correctly and on time. You will carry out a range of income-related activities, including setting up and updating accounts, processing financial transactions, reconciling balances, and supporting rent verification processes.

You will also be the first point of contact for routine customer enquiries, providing a high standard of customer service and referring more complex matters to Income Officers. Working closely with colleagues and external organisations, you will help ensure the effective management of rent accounts and support the collection of income for the Council.

Main Responsibilities

• Set up, maintain, update and close rent accounts, ensuring records are accurate and up to date.
• Process financial transactions, including direct debits, refunds, transfers, payments and authorised write-offs.
• Ensure rent and benefit payments are accurately credited to customer accounts in a timely manner.
• Reconcile rent accounts, suspense balances and payment allocations, investigating and resolving discrepancies where appropriate.
• Respond to customer enquiries relating to rent accounts, resolving straightforward queries and referring more complex issues to Income Officers.
• Administer key income management processes, including handling post, monitoring team mailboxes and issuing rent letters, statements and payment cards.
• Verify rent information for benefit purposes and liaise with internal and external organisations to support income-related processes.
• Process updates relating to debt relief schemes and other statutory or income-related requirements.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and legislation.
• Provide administrative support to the wider Income Team as required.
• Deliver excellent customer service and contribute to the effective collection and management of income for the Council.

The Ideal Candidate

You will have GCSEs (or equivalent) in Maths and English. While a housing-related qualification is not essential, previous experience working within a local authority, housing association, or a similar customer-focused environment would be an advantage.

You will be confident using IT systems, have excellent communication skills, and demonstrate a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. The ability to organise and prioritise your workload effectively, manage competing demands, and meet deadlines is essential.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a dedicated team committed to delivering high-quality services to BCP Homes tenants. You will play a key role in supporting rent account administration, assisting colleagues across the Income Team, and helping to achieve positive outcomes for tenants through efficient, accurate and customer-focused service delivery.

Interviews either w/b 16 November or w/b 23 November 2026

Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

At BCP Council, inclusion is more than a promise - it's how we work.

We're committed to providing a fully inclusive recruitment process ensuring every candidate and colleague has the support and reasonable adjustments they need to thrive.

From the moment you apply, through the recruitment process and throughout your career with us, we'll be here to listen and provide the help and support you need.

It's why we're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer - and why you can trust that we'll always do our best to make your experience positive and accessible.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, world-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

A Place to Thrive - Join BCP Council

At BCP Council, we're not just building a workforce- we’re transforming how we recognise and reward our people.

Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more about the new Pay and Reward package at Employee benefits | Working for BCP

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Basic DBS

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check.

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