Housing Options Officer

Housing Options Officer

Agency Ref: J76166

A highly reputable Local Authority is looking for a Housing Options Officer to join the team.

Type: Temporary

Location: Minimum 2 days in office based in West Sussex

Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday

Daily Duties:

•             Provide a proactive service to people who are at risk of becoming homeless, providing them with appropriate advice, help and support to prevent and or alleviate homelessness

•             Ensure that the Council’s statutory duties and responsibilities for homeless persons are discharged in accordance with provisions set out in Part VII of the 1996 Housing Act

•             Offer free, confidential and impartial information and advice to the public about their housing rights and obligations under legislation and Council policy

•             Arrange for homeless applicants to be placed into the most suitable and cost-effective form of temporary accommodation

•             Set up clean rent accounts, monitor payments and terminate accounts and placements promptly in relation to nightly paid temporary accommodation in accordance with the council’s procedures

•             Monitor the welfare and impact on the lives of applicants placed in temporary accommodation and assist them with advice regarding their general welfare and benefit matters

Essential Requirements:

•             Excellent interviewing skills to extract relevant information and complete accurate assessments

•             Able to manage a caseload and meet deadlines

•             Experience of providing homelessness and housing options advice to the public