Neighbourhood Officer

Morgan Hunt UK Limited; Uxbridge; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

London Borough of Hillingdon is seeking a Neighbourhood Officer on a contract basis. The role focuses on estate presence, tenancy management, safety compliance and proactive engagement with residents to support sustainable lettings.

The post involves viewing management, statutory checks, and collaboration with lettings and housing teams to ensure timely, compliant outcomes for residents and properties within Hillingdon.

Responsibilities

• Be present on estates and accessible to residents when they need assistance
• Manage the end-to-end process for viewing of all new homes to check suitability
• Secure access to a property to complete statutory compliance work (gas and electrical testing)
• Keep information on viewings up to date with clear themes to improve or reduce empty property re-let times
• Engage with Lettings and Void Repairs Teams to maximise successful lettings at first viewing
• Capture potential support needs of vulnerable tenants and share with Tenancy Sustainment Officers
• Contribute to fire safety management and ensure residents are fire aware and compliant
• Undertake targeted tenancy checks and address access casework
• Organise quarterly neighbourhood walkabouts with residents and partners
• Deliver risk-based tenancy management focusing on early intervention and tailored support
• Work with Tenancy Sustainment Officers to manage hoarding cases where applicable
• Oversee mutual exchange casework from application to tenancy completion to ensure deadlines and safety requirements are met
• Manage Use & Occupation casework within area to achieve positive outcomes and efficient use of housing stock

Job description

LB Hillingdon - Uxbridge - Neighbourhood Officer

Are you a Neighbourhood Officer looking for your next assignment? Hillingdon are currently looking for a Neighbourhood Officer to join their team on a contract basis. Please see below.

1. Resident & Community Contribution

• To demonstrate understanding of the Council's Customer Care Standards and ensure that these standards are met to deliver the Council vision of 'putting our residents first'.
• Foster community engagement and participation in local activities, helping tenants to develop social networks and support systems.
• To ensure that the tenant and leaseholder voice is heard and translated into tailored offers.
• Contribute to the delivery of the five commitments to residents from the Council Strategy.

2. People Management

• No direct supervisory responsibility however may be required to assist in the induction and training of peers and new employees.

3. Operational Service Delivery

• To be present on estates and accessible to residents where and when they need, being a visible and accessible presence.
• Manage the end-to-end process for the viewing of all new homes to check the suitability of the property before a property is offered to a prospective tenant.
• Secure access to a property to complete statutory compliance work, including cyclical gas and electrical testing, and other planned works.
• To ensure that information regarding viewings undertaken and outcomes is up to date, available and has a clear focus on themes which improve or negatively impact upon empty property re-let times.
• Engage with colleagues responsible for other parts of the voids management process to support the development of strategies for 'harder to let' dwellings and changes to operational practice.
• Liaise with the Lettings and Void Repairs Teams to maximise the achievement of successful lettings at 'first viewing. Including pre vacation visits.
• Capture the potential support needs of vulnerable tenants and share relevant information with the Tenancy Sustainment Officer's to maximise the potential for successful tenancies.
• Make an effective contribution to the fire safety management strategy in relation to the managed stock by reporting any identified breaches or fire safety risks to common areas or individual properties. Ensuring that tenants, leaseholders and staff are 'fire aware' and 'fire safe' by providing timely and tailored advice, addressing risky behaviours and supporting the delivery of key compliance workstreams.
• Working on own initiative, undertake targeted Tenancy Checks to contribute to the overall service target and as part of addressing access casework.
• Organise and conduct neighbourhood walkabouts quarterly with residents and partners such as Cllrs and surveyors.
• Deliver a risk-based approach to the management of tenancies which involves the initial and ongoing assessment of risk, a more tailored person-centred approach and the engagement of more specialist support providers where required.
• Deliver approaches which ensures interventions take place at an early stage to help 'at-risk tenants' retain a secure home while meeting the responsibilities of their tenancy agreement.
• Add value at all stages in the delivery of core tenancy management processes and during the lifetime of the tenancy by maximising the value from engaging with the tenant during the very early stages of the tenancy and during opportunities to 'get behind the front door' and engage with the tenant in their own home.
• Undertake risk assessments such as DASH for victims of domestic abuse and identify a range of suitable and effective control measures to mitigate the risks associated with tenancy failure.
• Maintain situational awareness on estates and within properties managed to support dynamic assessment of risk and the delivery of appropriate and practical interventions to resolve potential and presenting hazards.
• Work smartly to maximise the potential for compliant statutory gas and electrical servicing across managed properties and take formal enforcement action to secure access in parallel with any appropriate support measures.
• Respond to emerging or presenting emergencies within the managed housing stock including fires, floods and other incidents which prevent continued occupation of property. Work collaboratively with other services as the landlord representative to determine the best course of action as part of initial and longer-term support of displaced households.
• Manage decants in liaison with other service teams to ensure tenants are well supported, expectations are managed, and void property times are minimised.
• Work closely with the Tenancy Sustainment Officers to support vulnerable tenants and households who are 'at risk' of tenancy failure due to unmet support needs.
• Identify, assess and work collaboratively with the Tenancy Sustainment Officers to manage cases of hoarding within the managed housing stock in line with operational practice and service protocol. As part of a collaborative approach to managing risk, safeguarding tenants and ensuring compliance with tenancy obligations.
• Proactively oversee and manage mutual exchange casework from receipt of application to production and completion of tenancy agreements to ensure that statutory deadlines are met, tenancy conditions complied with and health & safety risks effectively managed.
• Proactively manage all Use & Occupation casework within area of responsibility, ensuring progression of cases to positive outcomes evidenced by good quality file notes, reduced income loss and best use of the Council's available housing stock.