Interim Housing Needs Officer – Immediately Required
Our client, a renowned local authority is seeking a capable Housing Needs Officer to support homelessness prevention team based in London on an initial 3-month contract with the potential of extension. This Housing Needs Officer will provide proactive advice to households that are at risk of homelessness, providing the first point of contact for residents with housing related problems and creating plans so they can sustain their tenancy.
Position: Housing Needs Officer
Period: 3 months (with possibility of extension)
Hours: Full time (working from home – occasional court visits)
Location: Sussex
Rate: £23 - £26 per hour
Responsibilities:
· Assess housing needs, and consider available solutions based on information provided by applicants and third parties
· Allocate accommodation, making best use of stock, based on assessment information and within policy and procedure
· Work through a backlog of outstanding housing needs and improve the assessment service on offer
· Act as the first point of contact to customers at risk of homelessness and providing preventative measures to ensure they stay within tenancies
· Work face to face with customers in the community e.g. home visits, viewing of temporary accommodation in accordance with our lone working policy.
· Carry out inspections of accommodation and report back to management and residents, as appropriate
· Effectively and proactively use housing legislation knowledge to be able to reduce homelessness within the borough
· Identify when to refer to other specialist teams for casework intervention and/ or refer to non-statutory services, ensuring referrals are made in a timely manner
Essential Requirements:
· Experience working in a homelessness prevention team within a local authority
· Good knowledge and application of housing legislation such as the Housing Act 1996 (parts 6 & 7) and the Care Act 2014
· Experience in creating housing plans and practical solutions to help tenants sustain their tenancy
· Experience working with a range of vulnerable people in order to support them with housing solutions
If you have experience to match the requirements for this Housing Needs Officer position, or if you would like more information on the role, please contact Dan Williams or the London Housing Team on
020 7557 7667 or send your CV to d.williams@venngroup.com
*Venn Group’s “Recommendation Scheme”: if you recommend a candidate who is subsequently placed by Venn Group (for a minimum of 2 weeks) you will be eligible for £25 worth of vouchers from a choice of high street organisations