Neighbourhood Officer - Coldharbour, Greater London, United Kingdom - Supporting Futures Consulting Ltd

Description

Role:
Neighbourhood Officer


Based:
Brixton


Rate:
£20 - £24 ph depending on pay status


Start Date:

ASAP

Duration:
Temp 3 months

Hours: 35 hours Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm

Our client, a specialist domestic abuse charity is looking for a Neighbourhood Officer to join their team.


Synopsis of duties:
Act will as an ambassador providing high-quality neighbourhood customer services and management services.

Through actively working with tenants, partner agencies, housing benefit and DWP offices ensure compliance with arrears and income policies at all times.

Ensuring that tenants' needs are identified at the earliest possible stage and prompt action is taken will prevent the escalation of problems

Organise and participate in Neighbourhood surgeries allowing for a proactive approach when meeting Housing Management service requirements,

Provide a consistently outstanding service that demonstrates corporate values ensuring properties are well presented and maintained.

To ensure that all neighbourhood management services are delivered in accordance with specified standards and agreed policies and procedures to the tenants within the Neighbourhood Officer's area of responsibility.

Take ownership and responsibility for any service related complaints / queries from customers ensuring that the customer experience is positive, professional and within set timescales at all times

Work in partnership with the Direct Labour Operative and conduct pre-advertised regular inspections to the properties in the patch in order to ensure that estate services such as cleaning, caretaking, ground maintenance and routine maintenance of communal areas have been carried out to specified standards and to take remedial action where they have not and to identify any additional repairs/works that need to be undertaken.

Ensure all the KPI and LPI targets and objectives are met.

Organise and participate in Neighbourhood surgeries.

To identify and get to know various agencies, groups and businesses in the local area that might help your tenants achieve what they want out of life.

Proactively make connections between customers and these organisations and you'll use your coaching skills to help customers make these connections for themselves.

When needed you will also support the women with referrals and application forms, signposting them to external services such as local authority, social services, local OT, hospital OT services, general practitioners, nurses, health visitors, charities such as Age UK or others as necessary You will also monitor the progress and liaise with appropriate agencies to ensure those identified needs are met.

Advocate on behalf of older tenants with health and social services where necessary to ensure tenants receive an acceptable level of service and care appropriate to their needs

To assist older tenants in getting their voices heard for statutory agencies.

Liaise with local authority, housing benefit and DWP to bring to their attention any relevant problems experienced by the tenant's benefits to which they are entitled or any other housing related issue.

Identifying and dealing with abandoned properties and tenancy fraud

Minimise losses from empty properties by managing the voids process and actively working with colleagues to minimise void periods

Monitor and manage arrears in allocated patch including preparing and presenting cases to courts with regards to Breaches of Tenancy and evictions

Undertake all visits to the home as required for starter tenancies (including 6 week, 6 month and 9 month tenancy home visits), and undertake tenancy reviews and all stages of the process ensuring accurate records are kept of actions and decisions taken

Ensure a speedy and focussed response to anti-social behaviour and other breaches of tenancy conditions. Action to be realistic, fast and efficient and supported by an effective action plan.

Support the Head of Housing & Income Services with delivery against all Management Agreements and joint working with other landlords, to ensure obligations are met.

Producing annual cost and expenditure reviews to ensure the contracts / agreements produce a surplus or are cost neutral

Ensure that the Head of Housing & Income Services is kept fully informed about issues arising within the Neighbourhood Officer's patch and to agree appropriate courses of action to resolve more complex estate and tenancy management matters, including;

Take of legal action when appropriate for any breaches of Tenancy

Preparing and presenting cases at court representing H4W as an organisation

Providing monthly progress reports, highlighting trends and exceptions

Demonstrating compliance with procedures Safeguarding and Health and Safety

Identify and report safeguarding concerns relating to tenants, their families and other service users to the Head of Housing & Income Services and raise safeguarding concerns with the relevant statutory service, including using professional judgement to raise alerts

Comply with all aspects of the Association's Health and Safety policy, including enabling access for annual gas servicing and ensuring that any potential risks or breaches are reported to the Head of Housing & Income Services.

Essential Requirements

Good standard of general education with a recognised qualification at HNC level or higher

Strong experience of Social Housing Management

Experience preparing and presenting cases to Court for breach of tenancy including DIY possession procedures

Ability to meet deadlines and plan and deliver a range of different activities

Experience of meeting challenging targets

DBS on the update service

Full driving licence with own vehicle

Supporting Futures Consulting acts as both an employer and an agency