Accommodation Income Officer

Description:

Accommodation Income Officer
Public Sector - Local Authority
Full Time - Monday to Friday, 36 hours per week
Temporary Role - 3 to 6 months, possible extension
£19.95 per hour PAYE / £25.88 per hour Umbrella (increasing to £27.12 per hour from 13th week)
Paid Annual Leave entitlement (PAYE Only) - up to 29 days increasing to up to 36 from 13th week
Hybrid Working - 2 to 3 days in office, remainder at home
IT equipment provided
ASAP startRole Purpose

Provide a customer focused rent and debt recovery service that responds to the diverse needs of Croydon's homeless households and adapts to meet their needs in terms of accessibility and support to vulnerable groups and those who are financially excluded
Provide an effective rent service that maximises income collection and recovery whilst providing a customer focussed service for clients in emergency and temporary accommodation
Proactively manage a caseload of accounts to prevent arrears and recover housing debts and other associated sub-accounts, across emergency and temporary accommodation properties, managing all aspects of the debt recovery process
Provide advice to members of the public on income recovery, breaches of tenancy or Lease conditions, and the process to deal with them ensuring you act in line with council policy and legal responsibilities. Working with occupiers to find solutions to reduce their levels of debt and assisting them to claim housing and other welfare benefits, including Universal Credit.Key Areas for Decision Making

Making complex decisions on housing benefits support. i.e., Appeals, reconsiderations and re assessments.
Responsible for negotiating repayment plans and determining which cases to escalate and take legal action. To ensure complex cases are referred to legal services.
Carrying out suitability assessment of all aspects of the accommodation provided in light of the relevant needs, requirements and circumstances of the homeless household and their family before recommending or proceeding with eviction action.
To undertake home visits when required both in and out of borough to deal with any aspects of the postKey Accountabilities

Income Collection -

To proactively monitor and analyse rent accounts to prevent arrears and recover housing debts, and to carry out all aspects of the debt recovery process. Including preparing timely and accurate reports on arrears case.
To negotiate with clients to find solutions to reduce their levels of debt and maximise their income, advising on claiming housing benefit and/or other welfare benefits, such as Universal Credit, tax credits.
To​ ​negotiate​ ​repayment​ ​arrangements​ ​with​ ​clients​ ​and​ ​take​ ​corrective​ ​action​ ​where such​ ​agreements​ ​are​ ​not​ ​
To take effective arrears enforcement action where clients do not clear balances in full or reduce levels of indebtedness. in line with policies, procedures, legislation, and best practice.
To take legal action against clients who breach their repayment agreement, serve appropriate notices, and follow the legal process through to eviction. Including attending and representing the council in court.
To refer​ ​clients​ ​to​ ​ ​support​ ​agencies, for debt counselling and welfare benefit advice and services appropriate to their needs​ ​to ensure​ ​that​ ​the​ ​tenancy​ ​can​ ​be​ ​sustained​ ​and​ ​the​ ​client ​is​ ​supported​
To manage Universal Credit rent verifications, applications for alternative payment arrangements and managed payments using the agreed protocol.
To ensure debt recovery in cases of unauthorised occupation, maximising the collection of use and occupation charges.
To carry out discharge of the Council's homelessness duties where the household becomes homeless intentionally from accommodation provided either under section 188 interim or the main duty due to rent arrears eviction or failure to pay accommodation charges.Legislation

Keep abreast of changes in legislation and practice and contributing to policies and initiatives to improve service delivery and efficiency, including the following: Maintain detailed knowledge of homelessness legislation, case law and government guidance concerning the Council's statutory duties and maintain a working knowledge of related housing, property, immigration, and family legislation, including:
Housing Acts 1985, 1988, 1996 and 2004
Homelessness Act 2002
Localism Act 2012
Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Protection from Eviction Act 1977
Landlord and Client Acts 1985 and 1987
Rent Act 1977
Accommodation Agencies Act 1953
Welfare Reform Act 2012
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
Family Law Act 1996
Human Rights Act 1998
Children Act 1989 and 2004
Care Act 2014

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