Principal Housing Standards Officer

London Borough of Hounslow; Hounslow; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The London Borough of Hounslow is seeking a Principal Housing Standards Officer to lead the Private Sector Housing Standards Team and the HMO Enforcement Team, safeguarding tenants and raising housing standards across the borough. You will manage a small team of three officers, develop policy, deliver enforcement actions, and help shape licensing schemes under Renters' Rights reforms.

The role reports to the Head of Housing Standards and requires knowledge of housing legislation and strong

Qualifications

• Experience in private sector housing regulation, housing enforcement or environmental health relating to residential property.
• Knowledge of housing legislation including HMO licensing, housing conditions and enforcement powers.
• Ability to supervise staff, develop teams and manage complex investigations.

Responsibilities

• HMO licensing and regulation and enforcement against unlicensed HMOs.
• Investigating tenant complaints about housing conditions and disrepair.
• Bringing empty properties back into use and delivering new responsibilities under Renters' Rights reforms.
• Developing and implementing licensing schemes and regulatory policy.
• Leading and developing the Private Sector Housing Standards Team and reporting to the Head of Housing Standards.

Skills

Private sector housing regulation

Housing enforcement

Environmental health

Staff supervision

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory reporting

Job description

About us at Hounslow

We'd love you to join us at the London Borough of Hounslow! Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be.

We are an outstanding council, serving an outstanding borough. With brilliant, visionary leadership, a dynamic Cabinet and a can-do culture, we've built strong partnerships which have transformed how we serve one of London's most diverse boroughs. Hounslow is the world in one place and full of potential. We are stepping up for our residents like never before.

About our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We live by five core values: Lead with Heart, Do New, Pass on the Power, Harness the Mix and Be a Rock. All our work has equality, diversity and inclusion at its very heart, best articulated in "Harness the Mix". It's about breaking down barriers between our parts and people and unlocking the problem-solving power of our amazing minds. We serve a diverse community, we have a diverse workforce and we are committed to being an inclusive employer.

We work hard to create representation across our workforce and leadership community, we have thriving employee network groups and our learning and development programmes help us lead, model and breathe ways of working that eliminate inequality, inequity, injustice and bias.

As part of this and under our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate our candidates. There's space for you to tell us what you need within our application form.

Our Benefits

If you join us, you'll have access to a range of employee benefits. Read more about these here.

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Private Sector Housing Standards Team as a Principal Housing Standards Officer. You will lead the Council's HMO Enforcement Team, managing a small team of three officers responsible for identifying and tackling unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), protecting tenants and improving housing standards across the borough.

Hounslow has a large and growing private rented sector, with approximately one in four households living in privately rented accommodation. This is a high-profile role at an exciting time for the service as we build on our successful borough-wide Additional Licensing Scheme and develop proposals for a Selective Licensing Scheme. You will play a key role in delivering regulatory services that make a tangible difference to residents, landlords and local communities.

The role reports directly to the Head of Housing Standards and provides opportunities to lead enforcement activity, develop policy and contribute to the Council's wider housing improvement agenda, including the implementation of new powers arising from the Renters' Rights reforms.

About The Team You’ll Be Working In

The Private Sector Housing Standards Team sits within the Planning and Buildings Service, part of the Council's Placemaking and Growth directorate. Working alongside housing, planning and regeneration colleagues, we deliver a joined-up One Hounslow approach for residents.

The team is responsible for improving standards across Hounslow’s private rented sector through:

• HMO licensing and regulation
• Enforcement against unlicensed HMOs
• Investigating tenant complaints about housing conditions and disrepair
• Bringing empty properties back into use
• Delivering new responsibilities under the Renters' Rights Act
• Developing and implementing property licensing schemes

Working closely with colleagues across housing services, the team helps ensure residents have access to safe and well-managed homes. The post reports directly to the Head of Housing Standards.

This is an exciting time to join the service as we build on our successful borough-wide Additional Licensing Scheme and develop proposals for Selective Licensing, helping to shape the future of private sector housing regulation in Hounslow.

About You

If the points below resonate with you, we'd love you to put in an application:

• Experienced in private sector housing regulation, housing enforcement or environmental health work relating to residential property.
• Knowledge of housing legislation, including HMO licensing, housing conditions, enforcement powers and landlord compliance requirements.
• Able to manage complex investigations and take proportionate enforcement action to achieve positive outcomes.
• Experience of supervising, motivating and developing staff to deliver high-quality services.
• Skilled at building effective working relationships with residents, landlords, elected members and partner organisations.
• Confident preparing reports, presenting evidence and making well-reasoned regulatory decisions.
• Committed to improving housing standards and protecting residents living in the private rented sector.

Read more about the work you'll be doing in the Role Prole.

Essential for The Role

Basic DBS

When Interviews Will Be Held And Who To Contact

The key information you need about the role should be in the role profile, but if you have any further questions about the role, please contact:

Email: [e-mail]

Telephone: [phone]

Interviews for this job will be held during week commencing 12th October 2026.