Role

purpose and dimension

  • To provide a high quality advice and lettings service that maximises the procurement of good quality, affordable private rented accommodation.
  • To work proactively with rental agents, property developers, registered social landlords and landlords to procure a plentiful supply of good quality, affordable private rented accommodation to homeless households and households that are at risk of becoming homeless.
  • Building and maintaining professional working relationships with private landlords and letting agents.
  • To make the most appropriate, equitable and cost-effective use of available resources, ensuring that all lettings comply with statutory requirements and the Council’s policies.
  • To ensure that all households for whom the Council has a statutory duty to secure emergency accommodation are provided with suitable accommodation, to liaise with landlords and tenants and discharge duty when required.
  • To provide an emergency placements service on a referral basis
  • Financial Dimensions

  • Undertake negotiations in relation to costs for accommodation, securing local housing allowance rates where possible and ensuring that properties are procured at the best possible value for money for the Council.
  • To ensure accommodation costs are within budget constraints and at the same time to optimize supply on a daily basis.
  • To identify and recommend areas where external and internal funding can be maximised.
  • To produce payments to landlords in respect of deposits and bonds.
  • To maximise rental income for landlords through housing benefit and to conduct affordability assessments for tenants and applicants.
  • To reconcile monthly invoices from registered social landlords and accommodation providers in respect of their leasing and management services
  • To make the most appropriate, equitable and cost-effective use of available resources, ensuring that all lettings comply with statutory requirements and the Council’s policies.
  • Homelessness Prevention

  • Identifying operational problems affecting the implementation or performance of key initiatives and service objectives developed as part of the temporary accommodation and homelessness strategy.
  • The interpretation of housing legislation and Council policy and how this relates to accommodation providers, tenants and strategic partners.
  • Consideration of the suitability of prospective tenants, landlords and properties to the various schemes and justification of reasons for refusal.
  • Reviewing and making recommendations for improving systems of work within team and with external departments and sections
  • Identifying suitable accommodation for homeless households, meeting any identified special needs, and ensuring that allocations comply with homelessness legislation, the Council’s temporary accommodation policy and with inter-borough agreements regarding price levels, standards, location etc.
  • To identify priorities for placements and areas where costs can be minimised and value for money achieved, and to discharge households from emergency accommodation when alternative accommodation is provided, or the Council’s duty to house applicants has ended.
  • Person Specification

    Essential Knowledge:

    An understanding of the private-rented sector and of the issues relating to the acquisition of accommodation, including security of tenure health and safety and housing benefit regulations.

    Essential skills and abilities:

  • Excellent written, oral and personal presentation skills.
  • Excellent negotiating and advocacy skills, and the drive and commitment to achieve positive outcomes for service users.
  • Ability to provide a caring and responsive service to customers, addressing those needs and concerns as far as possible within the given resource constraints.
  • An effective problem-solver with an organised and imaginative approach to work and the ability to manage difficult situations.
  • Ability to interpret and explain complex legislation and guidance, to a variety of audiences, and to make clear, consistent decisions.
  • Computer skills including word processing and knowledge of software packages.
  • Ability to analyse, manage and interpret information and data, using it to improve services.
  • Ability to relate the Department’s objectives and policies in relation to the service, and to communicate these concisely, simply and sensitively to colleagues, customers and partners.
  • Ability to manage a varied and demanding workload, and to provide a consistently high quality of work with limited supervision)
  • Ability to assess and communicate service issues and problems, and identify and cost appropriate responses and solutions
  • Essential experience:

  • Extensive experience of working in, or with, the private rented sector to procure and/or let accommodation
  • A clear understanding and appreciation of the importance of tightly controlling expenditure, whilst maintaining a flexible approach to respond to the needs of individual clients, both prospective tenants and landlords
  • Essential knowledge:

  • An understanding of likely concerns and aspirations of local landlords and how to meet them
  • Detailed knowledge of landlord and tenant law, including landlord’s repairing obligations and grounds for possession
  • 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.