Housing Standards Manager in Esher, Surrey

You will be managing a small team focussed on ensuring that the council delivers on its legal responsibilities around housing standards (across all tenures) within the borough. Working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, you will lead on the development and implementation of policies and practices to achieve these goals, using a mix of information, advice, financial assistance and enforcement, as appropriate. You will also lead on our work around empty homes and home energy efficiency. You will ensure that our service evolves to manage the additional responsibilities placed on it, including the Renters Rights Act 2025. The role is based at Elmbridge Civic Centre, based in Esher.

The main purpose of the role:

• To lead, manage develop and deliver the Housing Standards Service within the borough, improving standards and ensuring compliance through regulation, advice, assistance and enforcement across a range of tenures. The role ensures that statutory standards duties are met.
• To ensure the council is effectively using its powers and duties to minimise the number of empty homes in the Borough, particularly long-term empty homes.

Specific duties and responsibilities:

1. To lead and manage the Housing Standards Team to deliver high-quality services through:
• Allocation of workloads, monitoring performance and quality assuring casework.
• Providing coaching, supervision and professional development to the team.
2. To be responsible for the development and operation of the council’s Housing Enforcement policy.
3. To be jointly responsible for development and operation of Housing Financial Assistance Policy with the Care & Repair Elmbridge Team Manager, with the post-holder having budgetary responsibility in relation to financial assistance provided outside of the Better Care Fund.
4. To ensure adequate handling of requests and complaints about poor housing conditions, response which includes:
• Overseeing HHSRS inspections and ensuring appropriate action for Category 1 and 2 hazards.
• Completing inspection reports and schedules of work and assessments of best courses of action in line with legislation, guidance and council’s policies.
• Managing enforcement activity including improvement notices, prohibition orders, civil penalties, rent repayment orders, and prosecutions.
• To liaise with the council’s Legal Service with regards to the taking of formal enforcement action, including representation the authority at tribunals or court where required.
• Ensuring licensing compliance for HMOs and other licensable properties.
5. To oversee administration the council’s scheme of Financial Assistance including:
• The handling of enquiries and requests from potential applicants and their families, advocates or professionals about the availability of financial assistance and the processes involved.
• Responding to applications for assistance and undertaking initial assessments including means testing and undertaking of property inspections for the purposes of assessing works required, eligibility etc.
• Completing schedules of work where appropriate and confirming grant decisions and securing best value in selection of contractor to undertake grant work and issuing & monitoring staged payments.
6. To oversee administration of Caravan Site Licensing for the Borough including the development and review of policy, the handling of enquiries and requests for licences, undertake inspections, issuing licences and monitoring of site licence conditions.
7. To manage and oversee the use and administration of the ICT systems used within the Housing Standards Team, including the project management of system upgrades and ensuring that the service and staff are making best use of the available technology.
8. To lead on the development, review and implementation of the Council’s Empty Homes Strategy, working in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, with the objectives of making best use of the stock and reducing the number of long-term empty homes in the borough.
9. To monitor service performance and report outcomes to senior management.
10. To ensure accurate record keeping and sound data management.
11. To ensure safe working practices including lone working, through the use of risk assessments and the adoption and use of appropriate measures to manage and control risk.
12. To work collaboratively with internal teams and external agencies, to safeguard residents.
13. To engage constructively with landlords, agents, householders and tenants to promote compliance.
14. To respond to FOI requests, MP and Councillor enquiries regarding matters relevant to the work of the Housing Standards Team, to be responsible for leading on responding to complaints about the service under stage one of the council’s complaints procedure and assisting with responses under stage two of the same or enquiries made by the Local Government Ombudsman and Social Care Ombudsman.
15. To lead on the promotion of home energy conservation and meeting the council’s obligations under the Home Energy Conservation Act, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations for residential properties and other legislation relating to energy performance, fuel poverty and carbon reduction.
16. To ensure, subject to any necessary approvals, that the council’s services adapt to reflect changes in the law – such as the Renters Rights Act 2025 and the Supported Housing Regulatory Oversight Act 2023.

Person Specification:

• Basic DBS
• UK Driving Licence
• Access to a vehicle
• Copy of Environmental Health degree or equivalent
• Copy of certificate of registration from CIEH, or equivalent