Investigation and Enforcement Officer (Renters Rights)

PublicaGroupWODC; Cirencester; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Agile working

Flexible working

27 days annual leave

Health cash plan

LGPS pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car lease

Sickness cover

Job summary

Cotswold District Council is seeking an Investigation and Enforcement Officer to join the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit. You’ll investigate private rented housing issues, gather evidence, and take enforcement action to protect tenants and ensure landlords comply with housing law.

You’ll work with Cheltenham, Stroud and Tewkesbury authorities in a shared service. You will be based across offices in the partnership with travel expected; this is a permanent, full-time role offering agile

Qualifications

• Experience in similar roles within enforcement or welfare protection settings.
• Experience of liaison and communication with members of the public and colleagues.
• Experience of handling confidential and sensitive information and an understanding of data protection issues.
• Ability to travel to multiple sites within the partnership and across Gloucestershire.

Skills

Experience in similar roles

Liaison and communication with public/

Handling confidential information and

Ability to travel

BPSS

Standard DBS

Job description

Investigation and Enforcement Officer (Renters Rights)

Investigation and Enforcement Officer (Private Rented Housing)

Help shape the future of private rented housing and make a real difference to tenants' lives across Gloucestershire.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit (CFEU), a specialist team delivering investigation, enforcement and prosecution services across Gloucestershire's local authorities.

As an Investigation and Enforcement Officer, you will play a pivotal role in protecting tenants, driving up standards in the private rented sector, and holding landlords accountable where legislation is breached. Working alongside Private Sector Housing teams, you will investigate complex cases, gather evidence, and take robust enforcement action to ensure compliance with housing law.

A key focus of this role will be supporting councils in implementing and enforcing the Renters Rights Act 2025. You will be at the forefront of using new powers to tackle unlawful practices, including illegal eviction, tenant harassment, rental bidding, discrimination in renting, breaches of tenancy requirements, unlawful possession proceedings, and other offences affecting residents in private rented accommodation.

The CFEU provides specialist fraud and enforcement services to a number of councils and has an established reputation for delivering high-quality investigations and successful criminal enforcement outcomes. This role offers the opportunity to work on challenging and rewarding cases that have a direct impact on local communities.

Although employed by Cotswold District Council, you will be part of a shared service operating across Cheltenham Borough Council, Stroud District Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council, giving you the opportunity to work collaboratively across multiple authorities and develop a broad range of investigative and enforcement experience.

This is an exciting time to join the team. With significant changes being introduced through the Renters Rights Act, you will help shape how local authorities respond to new statutory duties and responsibilities, ensuring tenants are protected and landlords meet their legal obligations.

If you are passionate about investigations, enforcement, protecting vulnerable residents and making a tangible difference in your community, we'd love to hear from you.

The team work in an agile manner, working from home and from all of the offices sited across the partnership. The CFEU have offices within council buildings in Cheltenham, Cirencester, Coleford, Stroud, and Tewkesbury and you will be based at your nearest location but be expected to travel.

What you will need

• Experience in similar roles


• Experience of liaison and communication with members of the public and colleagues


• Experience of handling confidential and sensitive information and an understanding of data protection issues


• Ability to travel


• BPSS


• Standard DBS

What can we do for you

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working


• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)


• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays, which increases to 30 days after five years of service


• An extra two volunteering days per year to support a charity of your choice


• A health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care


• Generous contributory local government pension scheme


• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues


• Cycle to work scheme


• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars


• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements

About Us

We are rightly proud of the businesses, communities and residents who live in this beautiful part of the world, putting them first and at the heart of everything we do. We’re busy recreating a council set up for success, which can deliver for the needs of our communities in a fast-changing environment. That means we need to be "fleet of foot" and look for innovative and creative ways to deliver against our Corporate Plan priorities.

That plan focuses on a range of important priorities including delivering good services for residents, responding to the climate emergency, supporting strong local communities, and evolving the district’s vibrant economy.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email.

Our organisation is committed to meeting its statutory and moral duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people under 18 years of age and adults at risk who are the recipients of its services and/or activities.

Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references; proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £35,611 per annum