Income Maximisation Officer

Morgan Hunt; Uxbridge; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

LB Hillingdon is seeking an Income Maximisation Officer to join the housing service on a contract basis. The role focuses on maximising rental income, reducing rent arrears, and supporting tenant accounts through proactive engagement and robust case management.

Key duties include negotiating repayment plans, conducting home visits, and collaborating with Housing Benefits and Welfare teams to resolve arrears while ensuring tenancy sustainment and positive resident outcomes.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in Housing Income, Rent Recovery or Income Maximisation.
• Proven track record of reducing rent arrears and managing caseloads.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Experience working with internal departments and external agencies.

Responsibilities

• Manage caseloads of rent arrears and take proactive action to prevent escalation.
• Maximise rental income through effective income collection and case management.
• Engage with tenants by phone, email, and in-person to discuss rent accounts and arrears.
• Negotiate sustainable repayment arrangements and monitor adherence.
• Work with Housing Management, Benefits, and Welfare teams to resolve arrears.

Job description

Income Maximisation Officer

LB Hillingdon - Uxbridge

Contract Type: Contract
Day Rate: £275 per day Umbrella
Working Pattern: Full-time
Location: Community-based / Hybrid
Driving Licence: Full UK Driving Licence Required

Overview of the Role

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Income Maximisation Officer to join a local authority housing service on a contract basis.
The successful candidate will be responsible for maximising rental income, reducing rent arrears and supporting the effective management of tenants' accounts through proactive engagement, early intervention and robust case management.
The postholder will work closely with residents, internal council departments and external agencies to identify and address the causes of rent arrears, establish sustainable repayment arrangements and support residents experiencing financial hardship.
This is a customer-focused role requiring someone who can balance effective income collection with a strong commitment to tenancy sustainment and positive resident outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of rent arrears cases, taking proactive action to prevent arrears from escalating.
• Maximise rental income through effective income collection, monitoring and case management.
• Undertake early intervention with tenants who fall into arrears and identify appropriate support and solutions.
• Contact tenants by telephone, email, letter and through face-to-face engagement to discuss rent accounts and arrears.
• Negotiate realistic and sustainable repayment arrangements with tenants.
• Monitor repayment agreements and take appropriate action where arrangements are not maintained.
• Identify residents experiencing financial hardship and make appropriate referrals to internal and external support services.
• Work collaboratively with Housing Management, Housing Benefits, Universal Credit, Welfare Reform and other relevant teams to resolve rent account issues.
• Undertake home visits where appropriate to engage with residents and support tenancy sustainment.
• Provide clear advice and guidance to tenants regarding rent payments, arrears, benefits and available financial support.
• Take appropriate recovery action in line with legislation, council policies and procedures.
• Prepare cases for further recovery or legal action where appropriate, ensuring all relevant information and evidence is accurately recorded.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all customer contact, actions and outcomes.
• Monitor individual caseloads and ensure cases are progressed within agreed timescales.
• Contribute to achieving income collection, arrears reduction and tenancy sustainment targets.
• Work with external agencies and partner organisations to support residents and improve collection outcomes.
• Attend meetings, community locations and other venues as required to engage directly with residents.
• Ensure all activity is undertaken in accordance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures and data protection requirements.

Essential Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Previous experience working within a Housing Income, Rent Recovery, Rent Arrears or Income Maximisation team.
• A proven track record of successfully managing and reducing rent arrears.
• Experience negotiating repayment arrangements and working with tenants experiencing financial difficulties.
• Experience managing a significant caseload independently and prioritising competing demands.
• Experience working towards and achieving income collection or arrears reduction targets.
• Good knowledge of housing income collection and rent recovery processes.
• Experience working collaboratively with internal departments and external agencies.
• Experience undertaking home visits and/or community-based resident engagement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to deal confidently and sensitively with challenging conversations.
• Strong organisational and case management skills.
• A customer-focused approach with the ability to balance income recovery with tenancy sustainment.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within a local authority or social housing environment.
• Knowledge of Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.
• Understanding of welfare reform and the impact of financial hardship on tenants.
• Experience of preparing cases for legal or formal recovery action.
• Experience using housing management and rent accounting systems.
• Knowledge of relevant housing legislation and income recovery procedures.

Additional Requirements

Due to the community-based nature of the role, the successful candidate must hold a full UK driving licence and be willing to travel within the local area.
The postholder will be required to undertake home visits, attend meetings and engage directly with residents in the community as part of their responsibilities.

Public Sector and Government
Income Maximisation Officer