Division: / Landlord Services
Job Title: / Housing Income Officer
Grade: / 6
Post Number: / M016
Base/Location: / Southfields Office
Responsible To: / Housing Income Team Leader
Responsible For: / n/a
Key Relationships/
Liaison with: / Customers, other members of Landlord Services. Legal Services and external agencies
Job Purpose
To provide an active rent income collection service which has a positive impact on CBC and its customers in accordance with CBC’s policies and procedures.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. / To be responsible for maximising income within a given portfolio or area, taking enforcement action where necessary in line with policies, procedures and the legislative framework, ensuring high levels of customer care, service and sensitivity to tenant vulnerabilities.
2. / To provide advice and information to residents about their rent, service charge and other debts actively seeking ways to maximise income for our tenants and the organisation.
3. / To deal with tenants face to face, by office interview, home visit, telephone, email, text and letter to ensure payment. To arrange affordable payment plans and to deal with complex queries and issues in relation to their rent account, income, expenditure and any other debts.
4. / Decide on and take appropriate arrears action in line with policy and procedure using the council’s escalation and other systems.
5. / Identify appropriate notice, court and warrant applications; negotiate agreements with tenants; gain approval; prepare court papers ready for passing to the legal department; record actions and notify tenants and colleagues. Prepare and present individual cases at court and be fully conversant with county court procedures.
6. / Liaise with all relevant benefit and support partners to maximise income and support for our tenants within agreed protocols. Ensure relevant benefit applications are completed in time and tenants are given basic advice and support and referred for financial inclusion advice where appropriate.
7. / Identify at the earliest opportunity those tenants in arrears, or who are having difficulty paying, who are particularly vulnerable and who require additional advice and assistance and ensure support is offered and provided if agreed by referral to internal or external support providers.
8. / Set up, maintain and monitor direct debit arrangements for individual rent payments.
9. / Collect and account for rent payments in the office and out on site on an ad-hoc basis, issuing receipts and banking money with cashiers and issuing payment cards.
10. / Contribute to the development and delivery of services around financial inclusion for our tenants.
11. / Support a performance management culture focused on achieving key objectives while maintaining a well-motivated and empowered team, supporting colleagues and partners showing mutual respect and understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities at all times.
12. / Be committed and sensitive to, and comply with the organisation’s health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion policies and to ensure that legal, statutory and any other relevant provisions governing or affecting CBC are strictly observed.
13. / Establish, develop and maintain effective working relationships with other colleagues, departments, contractors and other partners to ensure an integrated approach to CBC’s corporate objectives.
14. / Contribute to the development of strategy, policies, procedures and working practice in the context of changes in welfare and housing provision.
15. / To undertake other duties commensurate with the post as requested by the line manager.
Special factors
The nature of the work may involve the jobholder carrying out work outside normal working hours by mutual agreement.
This job description sets out the duties and responsibilities of the job at the time when it was drawn up. Such duties and responsibilities may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot in themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the job.
Charnwood Borough Council is seeking to promote the employment of disabled people and will make any adjustments considered reasonable to the above duties under the terms of the Equality Act 2010 to accommodate a suitable disabled candidate.
Date prepared/revised: January 2017


Division: / Landlord Services
Job Title: / Housing Income Officer
Grade: / 6
Post Number: / M016
/ Essential / Desirable / How assessed

Qualifications

GCSE level maths and English or equivalent

/ ü / App/Doc
Experience

Significant experience in a rent income service or close equivalent.

/ ü / App/Int

Experience of debt recovery including legal action and court attendance.

/ ü / App/Int

Experience of managing casework.

/ ü / App/Int

Experience of dealing with the public.

/ ü / App/Int

Experience in dealing with challenging and vulnerable people

/ ü / App/Int
Skills/Knowledge
Numeracy / ü / Test
Literacy / ü / App/Test
Excellent attention to detail and accuracy / ü / App/Test
Basic Word and Excel skills / ü / App/Int
Principles of excellent practice in rental income management / ü / App/Int
County court procedures / ü / App/Int
Housing/Landlord and tenant law / ü / App/Int
Housing Acts 1985 & 1996 / ü / App/Int
Welfare benefits, debt and money management / ü / App/Int
Performance orientated / ü / App/Int
QL or similar rent accounting main system skills / ü / App/Int
Interpersonal skills
Good communication, negotiation and persuasion skills both verbally and written / ü / App/Int
Able to work unsupervised, identifying priorities, work plans and to problem-solve. / ü / App/Int
Able to work supportively in a team / ü / App/Int
Other requirements
Access to a car and driving licence to carry out home visits across the borough and court attendance in Leicester. / ü / App
An understanding of, and commitment to equality and diversity issues, and the ability to apply this to all situations. / ü / App/Int
Must be able to perform all the duties and tasks of the job with reasonable adjustments, where appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010. / ü / App
Key:
App = Application form
Test = Test
Int = Interview / Pre = Presentation
Med = Medical questionnaire
Doc = Documentary evidence (e.g. certificates)
Prepared by: Income Management Team Leader Date: January 2017

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