Jobs Description

To support the Housing Register and Allocations service in delivering an effective and responsive service to residents with a housing need.

The post-holder will be responsible for undertaking case by case allocations of social housing maintenance of the Housing Register and transfer list and resolution of accepted homeless cases to ensure the service is responsive to client needs within available resources ensuring agreed team plans and performance targets are delivered.

This will involve carrying and managing a case load, to work with individuals supporting and directing clients to access a broad range of housing options and where appropriate making relevant onward referrals and signpost to other services. The post holder will ensure statutory requirements are met and local team targets are delivered through case work.

Responsibilities

1. People Management

• No direct supervisory responsibility however may be requirement to assist in induction and training of peers and new employees.

2. Customer Management

• To actively support the management of the service delivering a professional, responsive and individualised service to Hillingdon residents requiring housing advice and to explore and sign-post to housing options.
• To demonstrate understanding of the Council’s Customer Care Standards and ensure that these standards are met in order to deliver the Council vision of ‘putting our residents first’.
• To provide holistic, informed and accurate housing advice which is “right first time”, to all approaches to the service.
• To support, coach and empower residents to independently assess and manage their own housing situation and make informed choices.

3. Operational Service Delivery

• To investigate and assess all applicants under the Housing Act 1985 and Housing Act 1996 (Part VI) to assess whether housing is required. This may include interviewing applicants to determine their eligibility, making detailed enquires to other organisations to verify information, and carrying out home visits in order to confirm/evaluate housing circumstances, if required.
• To prioritise all applicants in the appropriate category and banding in line with the Council’s allocation policy and other guidelines.  To write and serve decision letters on all applications, explaining the reasons for their decision and advising them of their right to review.
• To contribute to the maintenance of the choice based letting system which enables applicants to bid for properties, including the advertising and marketing of available properties.
• To make appropriate nominations and allocations to all permanent accommodation that the Council owns or has nomination rights to. To do so within agreed timescales to minimise voids periods and potential financial loss to the Council.
• Actively support and manage the housing allocation process to minimise void/ re-let times.  Develop and implement creative strategies to reduce re-let times in council housing and temporary accommodation.
• Support the placing of households into emergency accommodation, where required, including households for social care services.  To support reception and late duty rotas (outside office hours) as required to ensure that all customers approved for emergency accommodation are placed on the day.
• To provide accurate advice to households regarding their offer and consequences of refusals.
• To provide telephone and reception services as needed for customers with rehousing enquiries, including participation in section rotas.
• To undertake project work around new initiatives and priorities that the Council or Government may develop, including targeted housing support, special viewings or lettings schemes and research on housing needs.
• To make all necessary referrals to relevant services or departments, including the Council’s medical officer, social care services and housing options services, and investigate high need or exceptional cases. This will include preparing reports for the allocations and social care panels where required.
• To amend and update cases, properties and schemes on the LOCATA system and advise applicants on the use of the service. This will include monitoring and identifying any anomalies in bidding patterns and taking action to address issues, such as non-bidding or inappropriate bidding.
• To actively manage case work in accordance to expected standards of timeliness and quality and to adhere to agreed procedures at all times, including maintaining effective record keeping.
• Be knowledgeable and up to date with housing legislation, policy, procedures, case law and Codes of Guidance to ensure statutory requirements are consistently met.
• To contribute to communicating clearly and effectively with staff, customers and their representatives, Elected Members, colleagues and other third parties around all aspects of the service delivery and linkages with other areas, promoting a widespread understanding of the service and its capacity in order to manage stakeholders’ expectations and agree realistic outcomes and goals.
• Represent the service at meetings, case conferences and on committees/bodies as required.
• To undertake investigations into complaints and Members Enquiries and ombudsman enquiries as required.  Ensure corporate standards are met consistently, including complaints and Members Enquiries, as required.

4. Service Planning & Development

• Contribute to the annual Team Plan and delivery of team targets.

• Contribute to the development and review of procedure manuals providing guidance on the functions of the team.

5. Financial & Resource Management

• To actively support and contribute to the effective management of the allocated department / team budget.
• To ensure all purchasing and procurement is conducted in line with the corporate guidelines with appropriate use of the Council’s financial systems.
• To demonstrate cost-consciousness and identify any cost-effective changes to own way of working.

6. Continuos Improvement

• Contribute to the delivery of cross-cutting service improvement initiatives and projects.
• To identify and suggest any improvements to current ways of working to deliver a more efficient and effective service for residents.
• To undertake appropriate professional training to maintain professional competence and continual personal development, as required.
• Maintain an awareness of the Council’s legal duties and policy objectives in respect of Equal Opportunities and Customer Care and ensure that they are incorporated into policy and practice.

7. Contacts

• Any role specific responsibilities.
• Council wide where appropriate in particular to engage with Adult Social Care and Children’s Services to deliver a seamless service where appropriate.
• External: Including but not limited to; DWP; Rent Officers; Solicitors; Estate Agents; Accommodation Agencies; Housing Associations & RSLs; Probation Services; Voluntary Agencies; Hillingdon Law Centre; CABs; Health Care providers & CCG.

8. Additional Responsibilities

• To carry out all duties with full regard to responsibilities under health and safety legislation and the Council’s health and safety policies
• To provide support and advice to staff in other sections.
• Complete other reasonable tasks in order to fulfil role purpose or as instructed by management.

9. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Delivery of agreed Team Plans.
• Reducing void / re-let times.
• Reducing numbers of households placed in temporary accommodation.
• Delivery against any agreed Service Levels.
• Delivery against allocated budgets and MTFF saving targets.
• Delivery of agreed PADA objectives

Contract is from May to 30/09 (Temporary)