Housing Assistant

Central Recruitment is currently recruiting for a Housing Assistant, to work in the Islington area. The service is an all-female hostel providing 60 supported bed spaces and 33 short-term accommodation bed spaces. Support and advice is provided to clients to enable them to prepare for independent living. The successful candidate will be required to work 35 hours per week, working across Monday – Sunday covering early (8AM – 4PM) and late (12PM – 8PM) shifts. There is a requirement to work 1 weekend in every 5 weeks. This role is on a temporary (2-3 months) to permanent basis. The pay rate for this role is £16.05 per hour, with £2.33 holiday pay, totalling £18.38 per hour.

In this position, you will be expected to:

• Carry out reception duties, office administration duties and housing management functions including rent collection.
• Provide a customer focused letting service to all prospective and new tenants, liaising with tenants on housing management issues.
• Take appropriate enforcement action to ensure the effective resolution of anti-social behaviour in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Enforce the terms of the tenancy agreement providing tenants with accurate and appropriate advice on their rights and responsibilities in relation to their tenancy.
• Provide welfare advice to residents, assist residents in maintaining a benefit claim including signposting to external agencies.
• Ensure that rental income is maximised, that the organisations rent arrears policy and procedure is enforced and rent arrears targets are met.
• Offer advice and guidance to residents, signposting into other services where necessary.
• Offer resettlement advice.
• Report maintenance repairs and call out emergency contractors when necessary.
• Be responsible for the security of the building and the safety of residents.
• Deal with breaches of the occupancy agreement sensitively and efficiently and in accordance with procedures.
• Respond to residents’ complaints according to procedures.

To apply for this role, you must have:

• Experience of housing management and rent collection.
• Knowledge and understanding of good practice in housing management including rent accounting.
• Knowledge of welfare benefits, maintenance and repair issues.
• Experience providing advice and guidance including resettlement advice.
• Knowledge of effective strategies available in the management of ASB.
• Ability to work as part of a team in a small organisation and to have a flexible approach to dealing with practical problems.
• Experience in customer service and handling complaints.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to organise and prioritise your work, manage your time and comply with deadlines.
• Experience using IT systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Candidates must confirm their interest as soon as possible, with interviews scheduled shortly after and the appointed candidate expected to start as soon as possible.

Further requirements:

• Current valid right to work in the UK.
• Minimum 12 months’ of paid experience in a front line social care role within the last 3 years (unless recruitment criteria states otherwise).
• A fully enhanced DBS registered on the DBS update service or willingness to apply for one through Central (at a cost of £60).
• Employment or education history to cover the last 5 years which can be verified through the referencing process.

How to apply:

If you feel that you fully meet the above outlined criteria for this role and would like to apply for this post, please forward your CV for consideration.

Please note the outlined experience is the 'minimum' first stage criteria, and we will therefore be unable to consider your application unless you are able to demonstrate a relevant work history in line with this position.