Leasehold & Tenancy Officer

The difference you will make as a Leasehold and Tenancy Officer:

• Provide a customer focused account management service to all Home Ownership customers (including market and intermediate rent properties) across the London region, ensuring the contractual obligations as defined in individual leases and tenancy agreements are conducted in line with legislative requirements, compliance and Group standards.
• Manage the end-to-end residential lettings process for Home Ownership, including sourcing suitable tenants, carrying out referencing and financial checks, preparing accurate and compliant tenancy agreements and completing end of tenancy and void activity.
• Ensure service charge financial activity is conducted effectively including budget planning, the service charge setting consultation process and reviews of scheme expenditure.
• Act as advocate for customers, both internally and externally where appropriate to ensure their expectations are maintained and they are receiving the appropriate levels of service.
• Manage Caretakers within a specified geographical region to ensure delivery of an effective service to Home Ownership customers on behalf of the group.

About you:

• Up to date knowledge of leasehold legislation, regulation and standards, including Section 20 requirements.
• CIOH partial/fully qualified or equivalent qualification or experience.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure delivering to strict deadlines.
• Results driving with strong analytical skills, including the ability to critically analyse complex information and experience of providing meaningful management information.
• Customer focused with excellent communication skills both written and verbal with the confidence to interact with employees at all levels.
• Ability to show initiative and propose solutions to issues identified.
• Commercially aware and results focused with the ability to take ownership of tasks.
• Excellent team player who can work flexibly to meet business requirements.
• Effective stakeholder management, both internal and external to the organisation.
• Ability to remain calm in a pressurized environment.

Why Riverside?

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues. Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview. This role also falls under our Ethnic Diversity guaranteed interview scheme. If you are Ethnically Diverse and demonstrate you meet the minimum criteria for the role you will be guaranteed an interview.

Role Profile:

• Undertake the role of Account Manager for shared ownership, leasehold and assured short hold rent customers; including commercial properties (if required), advocating for the customer and ensuring services provided by the Group are delivered efficiently and in line with cost, quality and compliance standards.
• Support the Group Compliance function to ensure our buildings are safe.
• Proactively engage with customers to inform them of their role and provide relevant information.
• Lead, motivate and engage with site-based Caretakers (where applicable) to ensure the delivery of a high-quality service to support Home Ownership strategy and objectives.
• Maintain knowledge of leasehold legislation and technical aspects of all varieties of lease agreements to ensure escalated and complex queries are resolved effectively.
• Take appropriate action to enforce the terms of the tenancy or lease, including resolution of low level anti-social behaviours and unauthorised sub-letting.
• Accountable for maximising and increasing income collection, working in partnership with Shared Service colleagues to ensure good payment practices are established from start of tenure, supporting customers including signposting for advice and carrying out home visits during the arrears pursuance process.
• Support with the co-ordination of court cases and First Tier Tribunals including providing the required information to support mediation and legal challenges for Home Ownership.
• Decision maker for enforcement activity; County Court Judgement (CCJ), Repossession, Forfeiture, Eviction and Injunction applications, using customer and community insight to ensure appropriate decisions are made on behalf of the Group.
• Represent the Group in Court for all cases brought against customers in your regional area, ensuring cases are progressed effectively and efficiently and relevant stakeholders are kept up to date with developments and outcomes.
• Contribute to the setting of service charge budgets, providing first line support for customer queries.
• Facilitate customer/resident budget and year end meetings, as required.
• Promote customer engagement, both formally and informally via residents groups, to provide mechanisms for customers to give feedback on services, promote involvement and provide influencing opportunities to support scheme improvements/customer perception with Home Ownership business area.
• Deliver proactive contact with customers and follow up outstanding actions included within any customer satisfaction feedback analysis.
• Form and maintain a close working relationship with your colleagues in maintenance, building safety, asset services and environmental teams to ensure strong links and collaborative approach in the management of service charges.
• Manage customer complaints in line with the agreed process via the groups Complaint Dispute Resolution Team, ensuring effective resolution for our customers are met, within set timescales.
• Support/manage the performance and development of your colleague/team, including the framework of estate and letting agents selected to source tenants on our behalf, providing expertise and coaching as required and ensuring a quality service is provided for customers and under performance is dealt with appropriately.
• Assess applications made to Home Ownership either directly or via letting agent for any property that is offered for rent, carrying out financial appraisals and referencing to ensure that applicants satisfy the requirements of internal governing body and relevant legislation.
• Lead on the sign-up of new customers (within agreed relet KPIs), via the Digital Sign up process, inclusive of completing registration of any deposit prior to tenancy commencement with the Deposit Protection Scheme, together with arranging return of deposit and working with the tenant and Dispute Resolution Service for any disagreements and retentions.
• Arrange/undertake end of tenancy visits during the notice period to establish a schedule of works and repairs prior to next letting or hand over for the property to be sold, liaising with Asset Services Colleagues, including Void teams, to ensure any works are scheduled and carried out appropriately.

Additional Information:

The Group has offices across the UK and, on this basis, there will be a requirement to travel to other locations to effectively perform this role. Occasionally there may be a requirement to work weekends and evenings which could involve an overnight stay. The role will be exposed to sensitive information, therefore the role holder is expected to always maintain levels of confidentiality. To fulfil the requirements of this role, you will be required to work flexibly during the hours of operation. It is a requirement that the role holder holds a current, valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. The role holder is expected to be committed to equal opportunities and to promote nondiscriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.

Manage internal and external stakeholders effectively, including senior colleagues and third parties, building constructive working relationships to ensure the delivery of the Group’s Home Ownership Strategy. Accountable for regular reviews of the service, reviewing and analysing performance and customer feedback to ensure continuous improvement. Improvement opportunities identified and realised should be in accordance with change management protocols. Work collaboratively with the Home Ownership leadership team to ensure effective delivery of the wider service. Ensure that all information security requirements, including data protection, are met in accordance with the Group’s policy, procedures, and statutory requirements. Ensure that health and safety requirements are met in accordance with the Group’s policy, procedures and statutory requirements.

Person specification:

• Up to date knowledge of leasehold legislation, regulation and standards, including Section 20 requirements.
• CIOH partial/fully qualified or equivalent qualification or experience.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure delivering to strict deadlines.
• Results driving with strong analytical skills, including the ability to critically analyse complex information and experience of providing meaningful management information.
• Customer focused with excellent communication skills both written and verbal with the confidence to interact with employees at all levels.
• Ability to show initiative and propose solutions to issues identified.
• Commercially aware and results focused with the ability to take ownership of tasks.
• Excellent team player who can work flexibly to meet business requirements.
• Effective stakeholder management, both internal and external to the organisation.
• Ability to remain calm in a pressurized environment.

About Us:

Riverside is one of the UK’s leading not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.