Housing Options Officer

Provide advice, information and assistance to applicants who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Help applicants to explore their housing options and find suitable accommodation that meets their needs. To work with a range of partners and agencies to prevent and reduce homelessness in the community.

The role may include working and supporting specialist areas such as Refugees, P2i (young people), Domestic Violence etc.

Advice & Guidance

Offer advice and information on topics such as homelessness prevention, housing options, tenure rights and security of tenure. Communicate with applicants or their authorised representatives through phone, email or letter. Make advice accessible to all applicants and help them avoid or resolve homelessness and secure long-term housing solutions.

Progress Applications

Make enquiries and collect all relevant information from the applicant including financial statements or health information and carry out other verification checks as necessary, including authorised communication with statutory and voluntary agencies to support decision making.
Progress all homeless applications (Part 7 application) under current legislation, ensuring compliance to the Homelessness Code of Guidance.

Progress all housing applications (Part 6 applications) in line with the Homefinder Somerset Choice Based Lettings scheme and ensure these are completed in a timely manner.

Assessment & Plan

Carry out an assessment of circumstances and needs to identify what has caused the homelessness or threat of homelessness and the housing needs of the applicant and any support needs to be able to secure and retain accommodation. Following the assessment, create a personalised housing plan with the applicant to help them retain or find accommodation.

Decision Making

Decide on what duties are owed to the applicant (e.g., interim duty, prevention duty, relief duty), progressing all homeless applications, notifying applicants within target times whilst ensuring all decisions comply with current legislation. Make appropriate referrals to partner agencies and organisations to help with issues such as access to private rented accommodation, benefits, relationship breakdown, debt, budgeting, warrant, substance misuse, domestic abuse, rough sleeping, mental health, health, support, complex needs and learning difficulties.

Record Keeping

Be responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive records of all housing applications, assessments, decisions and outcomes. Use the case management system to record and update information in a timely and consistent manner. Ensure that all records are stored securely and comply with data protection and confidentiality policies.

Private Rented Sector Access

Assist applicants to access the private rented sector to prevent or relieve homelessness. Assess applicants financial situation and where appropriate, assist them with financial help to secure a tenancy via the Councils bond guarantee or rent deposit scheme.

Qualification

Education qualification to at least A level standard or acquired knowledge to NVQ level 4 and ongoing commitment to continuous professional development and where required will acquire specialist accreditation and skills. Essential

Knowledge

Homelessness legislation. (Housing Act 1996, Homelessness Act 2002, Suitability Order 2012, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017) Desirable

• Landlord and tenant law. Desirable
• Options available to somebody that is homeless or at risk of homelessness. Desirable

Equality and diversity issues and an understanding of the relevance to a housing advice service. Desirable

Skills

• Ability to build and maintain good working relationships. Essential
• Ability to deal inventively and sensitively with a wide range and spectrum of people in greatly varying circumstances. Essential
• Ability to establish and manage realistic applicant expectations. Essential
• Resourceful, solution focused, persuasive and skilled in overcoming barriers. Essential
• Ability to prioritise workload, manage time effectively and meet deadlines. Essential
• Ability to manage a diverse caseload effectively where detailed and complex investigations are required, working with precision and attention to detail. Essential
• Ability to maintain accurate detailed and timely case notes and other evidence-based records. Essential
• Ability to work as part of a team, be flexible, use initiative and work with limited supervision. Essential

Good organisational and administrative skills. Essential

Experience

Experience of working within a Housing Options team Desirable

• Experience of working in a housing association, local authority housing department or similar organisation. Desirable
• Experience of dealing with the public and in particular vulnerable applicants Desirable
• Experience of effective partnership working which has led to positive solutions. Desirable

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