Housing Regulations Officer - Portsmouth

Portsmouth City Council are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, and dedicated individual with a commitment to top quality regulatory services. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Private Sector Housing service in delivering the city wide mandatory and additional licensing schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Portsmouth. This is a Fixed Term Contract/Secondment for 2 years and the hours are 37 per week, and part-time job share applications will be considered.

Your new role

You will be part of the Housing Regulation licensing team within the Private Sector Housing service for Portsmouth City Council, delivering responsive and effective services to anyone who approaches the city council needing help regarding their home. This includes the delivery of statutory functions relating to housing standards and licensing of HMOs. The aim of our service is to provide help and advice to make homes liveable, safe and healthy.

The Housing Regulations Officer is there to support landlords and tenants in ensuring their homes are liveable, safe and healthy, as well as carrying out enforcement activities when landlords do not comply. Officers must consider all options when determining the most suitable course of action. Regard must be given to legislative duties, statutory duties, and the council's private rented sector strategy.

Who is the person?

• It is essential that the post holder is educated up to (or working towards) at least level 3 in a relevant Housing, construction, enforcement, or environmental health qualification or will have demonstrable experience in working with stakeholders within Housing to achieve the right outcomes with regard to Housing Standards.
• It is desirable that the post holder will hold (or be working towards holding) a level 6 qualification in housing, environmental health, environmental science, housing engineering or construction.
• It is desirable that the post holder holds (or is working towards holding) associate level CIEH membership, member level of the CIH or membership of another relevant body. This will include evidence of continual professional development (CPD).
• The post holder can successfully balance a varied workload comprising of proactive inspections with responding to complaints with varying levels of severity and prioritise effectively.
• The post holder will ideally have knowledge and experience of housing legislation and processes around enforcement, particularly in regard to private rental sector and houses of multiple occupancy.
• The post holder will have a demonstrable knowledge of surveying residential property and be able to undertake a full property inspection.
• The post holder will have demonstrable knowledge and experience of the Housing Health and Safety Rating system (HHSRS) however full training will be provided if required.
• The post holder will have knowledge of relevant legislation such as the Housing Act 2004, Public Health Acts, and Building Regulations, and Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).
• The post holder will have knowledge of enforcement action and carrying out investigations and be able to prepare and serve formal enforcement notices and understand the importance of keeping clear and precise records to determine what actions need to be undertaken.
• The post holder will have a sound approach to decision making and be able to justify their actions using relevant policies, legislation and guidance.
• The post holder will be able to identify and provide advice on necessary property repairs and be able to give clear instructions on what works should be carried out.
• The post holder will be emotionally resilient and able to deal with the impact of being exposed to customer's difficult circumstances whilst being able to remain professionally detached and focused, even if the message you deliver involves saying no.
• The post holder works proactively and is able to remain motivated, working on their own initiative in coordinating multiple tasks.
• The post holder is competent in the use of IT systems with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Packages (to include Word, Outlook, and Excel) and databases.
• The post holder will have an understanding of Systems Thinking approach in relation to the importance of applying value steps within the purpose of the service.

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act. We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals.

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Millie Hunter.

Our recruitment process

Full information about our recruitment process can be found on our support for applicants' page: Support for applicants - Careers portal. You must demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience, which clearly illustrates what you did and the effect it had. If you apply without a detailed personal statement, it is unlikely that you will be successful.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal. If applying as a secondment you will need permission from your current line manager releasing you for this secondment. Please state you have this on your personal statement on the application. You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our career's portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council. Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact the recruitment team.