Housing Register Officer

Location: (Apply online only) High Road, Ilford, IG1 1NN

Start Date: ASAP

Contract Duration: 3+ Months

Working Hours: Mon - Fri, 09:00 - 17:00, 37 Hours per week

Pay Rate: £ 19.75 per hour 

Job Ref: OR9813

Responsibilities

Complete assessments of applications to join the housing register, including re-registration to keep their applications up to date. Assess households who do not qualify to register and provide advice about alternative housing options. Assess households who qualify to register and activate their applications. Determine effective date, level of preference, and any special factors affecting each application.

Conduct medical assessments for preference on medical grounds and provide comprehensive housing advice on options for applicants. Notify applicants of decisions on their applications.

Co-ordinate the advertising of void properties in council or Registered Provider (RP) stock with Choice Homes UK (CHUK). Allocate permanent homes by preparing and analyzing shortlists from choice-based lettings bidders and direct matching in line with designated groups identified by the Housing Allocations Scheme.

Check assessments remain up to date and verify circumstances robustly when households are selected for properties, including making checks regarding applicant's finances, eligibility, local connection, and suitability to be a tenant.

Interview applicants and complete home visits as part of the verification process, as well as doing desktop checks.

Select appropriate applicants and nominate them for available homes.

Complete direct matching processes for a range of vulnerable applicants on the housing register with specific requirements.

Provide comprehensive advice to applicants on other housing options, including mobility schemes.

Allocate temporary accommodation and private rented accommodation to prevent homelessness and discharge the homeless duty.

Complete the letting process for temporary, prevention, and PRSO properties.

Activate refusal processes where customers decline offers of temporary accommodation or prevention or PRSO's.

Consider applicants' support needs and make appropriate referrals for tenancy sustainment, floating support, and prevention assistance.

Utilize the housing register allocations system to create records and provide key monitoring information. Update the homelessness system to feed into personal housing plans for each customer. Maintain customers' electronic files, providing a thorough audit trail of activity and key documents.

Person Specification

Good knowledge of the law relating to part VI of the Housing Act 1996, housing allocations, and other housing advice and homelessness legislation. Familiarity with general housing legislation, welfare benefit expertise, and knowledge of the adult & children social care environment. Knowledge of the Housing Act 1996, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, the Children Act, and the Care Act, combined with specialist knowledge of the Welfare Reform Act.

Ability to work collaboratively with customers to identify appropriate solutions to housing problems. Innovative, dynamic, and solutions-focused with a proactive approach to prevent customers from becoming homeless. Experience contributing to the ongoing development and design of the service and solutions for customers.

Strong communication skills to develop effective working relationships with colleagues, other council and statutory services, RP's, external bodies, service users, and voluntary and other housing organizations. Ability to provide advice services to clients through various channels and deal with enquiries, complaints, and correspondence from clients and their advocates.

Responsibility for accurate record keeping and use of systems to ensure comprehensive ability to report on customers' individual service provision and overall rehousing trends. Meet performance targets and ensure high-quality standards are maintained.

DISCLAIMER: By applying for this vacancy, you consent to your personal information being shared with our client and any relevant third parties we engage with, for the purpose of assessing your suitability for the role. You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to inform i-Jobs in advance if there are any specific organisations or hirers to whom you do not wish your details to be disclosed