Description

The key purpose of the Housing Needs Officer post is to provide a high standard of housing assessment and homeless prevention to customers requesting help for housing assistance and to meet the Council s statutory duties towards housing applicants under the Housing Act 1996 Parts VI and VII as amended by the Homeless Reduction Act. The role will be required to make good quality decisions on homelessness and housing need in accordance with the law, policies and procedures operating within the department and reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation and unsuitable housing in the borough.

Example outcomes or objectives that this role will deliver:

To prevent homelessness and resolve housing difficulties through comprehensive advice and assistance using a range of prevention tools To holistically assess a customer s circumstances by conducting interviews, undertaking visits to customers in their homes, conducting enquiries and collecting information to be able to verify their circumstances and their eligibility for housing To effectively manage a caseload To make comprehensive and robust legal decisions under the Housing Act 1996 Parts VI and VII that will stand up to legal challenge. To provide comprehensive housing advice on matters such as eligibility, homelessness, security of tenure, public and private sector tenancies, housing and welfare benefits, income maximisation, arrears, harassment, unlawful eviction, home ownership, relationship breakdown, domestic violence, and other necessary areas of advice with the aim of preventing homelessness and issuing good quality decisions. To participate in frontline rotas. For further information about this and any other similar roles, please only email Wayne Molsher