Voids Officer in Walthamstow

This Voids Officer post sits in the Central Voids Team at the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The work is intensive, end-to-end support for council tenants moving through downsizing or Mutual Exchange, from home visits to removals. It is a 12-month fixed-term role on 36 hours a week within a new pilot tackling under-occupation and overcrowding. Fluent spoken English is required for public-facing work, and CIFAS identity checks apply.

What the job involves

• Identify and engage tenants under-occupying their homes who may benefit from downsizing
• Manage a caseload of downsizing and Mutual Exchange applications from first enquiry to completed move
• Carry out home visits and housing needs assessments
• Give practical, personalised help with bidding, viewings, sign-ups, removals and utility transfers
• Support and facilitate Mutual Exchange for council tenants, including registering on HomeSwapper and finding matches
• Process Mutual Exchange applications efficiently and within statutory timescales
• Work with Allocations, Tenancy Management and Repairs to maximise housing mobility and reduce delays
• Support the allocation of suitable void properties to downsizing households
• Keep accurate records, monitor performance data and contribute to pilot outcomes and service KPIs
• Give advice, guidance and customer service to residents, partners and stakeholders
• Help reduce overcrowding and release larger family homes

What’s required

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths or equivalent, and/or a relevant housing qualification

Experience

• Experience in housing, lettings, allocations, tenancy management, voids, housing options or customer service
• Experience managing customer cases to positive outcomes within challenging timescales
• Experience working with vulnerable residents and the barriers they face when moving home

Skills & knowledge

• Strong customer service skills, building trust with a diverse range of residents
• Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation and influencing skills
• Good organisational and time management, balancing competing priorities against targets
• Ability to work independently while contributing to team objectives
• Strong IT skills, including housing management systems and Microsoft Office
• Keeping accurate records, analysing information and producing reports

Checks & eligibility

• Satisfactory employment references
• CIFAS identity checks
• Satisfactory declaration of interest

Other

• Fluent spoken English for public-facing work

Nice to have

• Understanding of housing management, allocations, lettings, downsizing or Mutual Exchange processes

What’s offered

• Flexible working arrangements considered wherever possible
• Good Work Standard employer, covering fair pay, workplace wellbeing, skills and progression

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