Private Sector Lettings Officer

This role is responsible for providing specialist support to reduce temporary accommodation use by matching suitable residents to properties in the Private Rented Sector.

This role offers hybrid working with a requirement to work from our office in E17 two days a week (flexible to meet the needs of the service). At the beginning of the placement, the successful candidate should expect to work from the office more frequently in order to become familiar with the role and the council's processes.

Main areas of responsibility:

• To identify suitable customers and match them to various properties sourced through schemes including Out of London initiative, Capital Letters, More Homes, Local Space and other schemes as may be developed from time to time.
• To ensure that customer needs are thoroughly assessed in line with Council’s policy and affordability and all relevant issues fully considered before making an offer, maintaining a record of the assessment for use by various teams.
• Deal with refusals, ensuring that reasons for refusing a property are properly considered and duty discharged in line with statutory provisions and all systems updated.
• Ensure that properties are offered and let within agreed timescales for the scheme, maintaining accurate records to minimise disputes.
• Investigate and resolve all queries relating to nomination and void periods in a timely manner.
• Reconcile invoices relating to schemes, raise payments as requested.
• Ensure that customer records are kept up to date by updating all information obtained through customer contact on all relevant databases, ensuring that needs assessment is a live document.
• Deal with management issues associated with the legacy private rented scheme.
• Administer the self-help scheme, check eligibility and compliance issues and arrange all necessary payments.
• To perform the full range of duties of the Accommodation Placement Officers when required.

Nature of contacts:

Key contacts are internal and external customers/stakeholders. Will involve direct contact with members of the public including dealing with challenging situations where influence may be needed. Deal with people at all levels confidently, sensitively and diplomatically.

Knowledge, skills and experience:

• Commitment to high standards of customer care and the ability to deal sensitively with a wide range of customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Ability to write complex correspondence and reports.
• Detailed knowledge of the law relating to the suitability of temporary accommodation, and the ability, under pressure, to write effective decision letters offering properties or discharging the Council’s duty.
• High level of IT skills working with a database and software applications to produce letters and reports effectively, run exception reports and identify input errors.
• Up-to-date working knowledge of homelessness legislation, guidance and case law, and knowledge of the broader housing environment including welfare benefits.
• Ability to work constructively with other services and agencies and to negotiate successful outcomes for customers.
• Ability to work in a pressurised working environment and to prioritise work to meet the key priorities.
• High level numerical skills.
• A flexible approach to cover for colleagues and undertake a piece of work at short notice.