Housing Officer

Housing (Homelessness) Triage/First Contact Officer Office Based 36 Hours per Week (Flexibility for Hybrid Working Considered Once Role Established) To provide an effective triage and duty service and conduct a pre-assessment/filtering service by telephone or face-to-face interviews to provide advice and assistance for those in housing need, those threatened with homelessness, or those who are homeless in accordance with the Homelessness Act 2017. Duties Interview and assess homeless on the day approaches in person. Make preliminary investigations ensuring customer provides evidence and documentation at the earliest opportunity. Provide comprehensive advice on a full range of options to solve their housing problem, including tenancy rights, housing, and welfare benefits. Make initial enquiries into the reasons to believe the client is eligible and homeless. Filter and contact online housing options form and conduct preliminary enquiries, providing advice and assistance to prevent homelessness. Check Section 21 validity and refer to Safer Renting regarding illegal evictions. Undertake email duty and respond to emails or forward to the most appropriate service/team. Undertake telephone duty to provide housing advice or advise of the relevant service/team details. Respond to Duty to Refer and make initial enquiries and first contact. Capture and process data on the Council's housing system (NPS) to accurately reflect the application process and stage of application, creating new application records as necessary. Ensure accurate and comprehensive case notes and records are kept of contact and advice given. Ensure documents are scanned and labelled correctly and added to the customer's records. If homelessness cannot be prevented or the client is homeless, refer to the Housing Duty Manager for allocation to a case officer and requesting temporary accommodation. The list above is not exhaustive, and the officer will be required to support the Homelessness Prevention and Solutions Service to manage its front-line functions. Knowledge Working knowledge of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended). Knowledge of security of tenure. Knowledge of welfare benefits and advice services, including Domestic Abuse services. Experience and Skills Experience of dealing with customers in person, by telephone, and via email. Experience of working in housing advice/homelessness. Ability to work independently and manage a workload, prioritising urgent cases. Good communication skills, both written and oral. Experience of using IT applications. For further questions, please contact Mia for more information.

#J-18808-Ljbffr