Housing Information and Advice Officer - Twickenham, United Kingdom - Bridge of Hope

Bridge of Hope

Verified Company

Twickenham, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

JOB TITLE:
Housing Information & Advice Officer

LOCATION:
Twickenham (TW1 3BZ) Hybrid - expected to attend the office for team meetings, training, and supervision with manager

PAY RATE:
£18.34 paye / £24.63 per hour Umbrella

START DATE:

ASAP

DURATION/Hours: 3-month initial contract/ 36 hours a week

Job Purpose:

To work proactively and collaboratively with households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to assist them to sustain their current housing where possible, or otherwise to secure alternative, suitable and affordable accommodation.
To hold a personal caseload of households, to agree practical and reasonable steps for the Council and the household to take to prevent and/or relieve homelessness. Households will include private or social tenants, homeowners, those evicted by family members or facing relationship breakdown, and may be vulnerable and/or have complex needs.
To provide a flexible and responsive service for applicants who are homeless or threatened with homelessness by delivering services from Richmond and Wandsworth Council offices and communitybased locations, ensuring comprehensive housing advice is available for customers, staff, and partner agencies. To carry out home visits to assess homelessness and the sustainability of the applicant's current housing.

Duties & responsibilities:

To provide comprehensive advice and information covering a range of housing issues including:
Housing and tenancy rights in both the private and social rented sectors, and for homeowners
Financial advice including welfare benefits, maximising income, and tackling debt.
Housing options including private rented sector, housing register, specialist accommodation such as refuges, low-cost home ownership.
The Council's statutory duties under the homelessness legislation
To assess the housing and wider needs of individuals and households, including by interview in and across both boroughs, to find tailored solutions to meet their immediate and longerterm housing needs.
To take the Homelessness Preventions and Solutions Service out into the community by providing housing surgeries in the Job Centre Plus, Children's Centres and other locations as required.
To use the Homelessness Prevention budget to provide innovative and costeffective housing solutions to prevent and relieve homelessness.
To manage a caseload of applicants who have approached the Council for assistance under the Homelessness Reduction Act, keeping your caseload under review and taking timely action to minimise the time in temporary accommodation.
To undertake homelessness investigations, create and seek the applicant's agreement to a bespoke and scenario specific personal housing plan, to issue statutory decisions and to discharge/end duties in accordance with the homelessness legislation.
To undertake comprehensive casework such as negotiating with landlords/family members, completing referrals to support agencies, helping to address problems with benefit claims and advising on options to maximise income, reviewing progress against Personal Housing Plans, making home visits where necessary/beneficial.

Knowledge, skills & experience:

Knowledge of relevant Homelessness and Housing Act legislation including security of tenure and private tenants' rights.
Knowledge of relevant case laws and Codes of Guidance
A good knowledge of services, benefits and support available to applicants experiencing housing problems.
Experience of working within a customer service, housing, or lettings service.
Experience of carrying out interviews, investigations, negotiations.
Experience of effective record keeping, including electronically held information.
Experience of working with people who are homeless or in other stressful situations.
Ability to gather information and interpret complex issues e.g., Case law and legislation quickly, to think creatively about problems and identify solutions.

Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.