Housing Options Officer – Braintree DC in Colchester

Essex County Council (ECC) is delighted to be supporting Braintree District Council to recruit a Housing Options Officer on a 3-month temporary basis. The purpose of this role is to provide a front‑line, customer‑focused service to individuals and families experiencing housing difficulties. It involves assessing housing needs and providing specialist advice in respect of all housing options in order to prevent and relieve homelessness. When prevention opportunities have been exhausted, the officer will undertake investigations to determine the Council’s duties under Pt V11 Housing Act 1996, as amended, and ensure that statutory obligations are carried out.

Please note that this role will be based on site 2‑3 days per week and will require you to be on site full time during the initial training period.

• Provide a comprehensive frontline service to customers seeking advice and assistance with regards to their housing needs, irrespective of tenure, either in person or by telephone.
• Participate in the Housing Options duty rota (including triage) and respond to emergencies as required.
• Take action to prevent and relieve homelessness, including visits to applicants’ parents, negotiation with landlords and mortgage companies, referral to other agencies, and use of the Council’s Homelessness Prevention Fund.
• Provide customers with expert, professional, comprehensive advice and information on all aspects of housing options work specific to their assessed needs, including undertaking basic financial and benefits assessments.
• Produce Personalised Housing Plans following assessment of needs; monitor customers’ actions and perform the authority’s actions.
• Help customers access a range of housing opportunities, including social housing, private rented accommodation, supported housing and shared/home ownership, and assess customers’ suitability for the Council’s Deposit Bond and/or Rental Loan schemes.
• Liaise, establish, maintain and develop links with Social Care teams, health providers, Registered Providers, private landlords and other statutory or voluntary agencies as appropriate and ensure that referrals are made as necessary, recorded and followed up as required.
• Attend case conferences and joint assessment interviews with Social Care teams or other organisations as necessary.
• Facilitate Housing Advice Surgeries and provide out‑reach services at other venues as required.
• Undertake formal investigations under Pt V11 Housing Act 1996 (as amended) and associated guidance and legislation when homelessness cannot be prevented, and issue cogent s184 decision letters within required timescales.

• Good interviewing and interpersonal skills, excellent organisational and communication skills coupled with an empathetic style.
• Strong IT skills and letter‑writing skills are also important.
• Experience of providing housing advice to the public and of liaising with other statutory, voluntary or private sector organisations.
• Previous experience of working in a housing service or a similar area of work.
• Experience of issuing Personalised Housing Plans (PHP).
• Experience of writing s184 decisions.
• Willingness to carry out face‑to‑face housing options interview with homeless applicants.
• Ability to manage own workload, be proactive while working within a team to achieve team objectives.
• Experience of using Civica (Abritas).