Empty Homes Officer

Salary and grade: £42,576, Grade 6
Duration of role: Fixed term contract for up to 24 months
Hours per week 37
Location: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon. The councils operate in a truly flexible, and hybrid way where the focus is on outcomes not where you work.
Closing Date: 28 July 2024 (midnight)
About the role and what we’re looking for
The postholder will identify Empty Homes and pro-actively work with owners to bring residential properties back into use to the benefit of owners, potential tenants, and the local community.
Main duties and responsibilities
• Identifying, prioritising and engaging with long-term empty home owners to bring their property back into use.
• Design, implement and monitor an action plan to support the aims of the Empty Homes policy.
• Determine and initiate the most appropriate course of action for dealing with an empty property.
• Monitor, regularly review and report upon the progress of cases.
• Provide information and advice relating to empty properties.
• Work closely with the council’s in-house social lettings team to secure affordable tenancies for households in housing need in properties previously unoccupied.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to develop best practice and to ensure a joined-up approach to cases.
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate records of cases, performance information and statistics.
• Review and update procedures for incentives available to empty home owners.
• Work with the communications team to promote and publicise incentives to bring empty residential properties back into use and to participate in promotional events.
• Liaise closely with the team leader, legal and finance regarding progressing enforcement action. Prepare and present evidence for court or tribunals if necessary.
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, guidance, and best practice in relation to Empty Homes.
The duties may vary from time to time without changing the nature of the post or the level of responsibility and the post holder may also be required to carry out any other duties appropriate to the grading of the post.
About you
Your essential skills, knowledge and experience
• At least two years’ experience of private sector housing work.
• Strong and demonstrable communications skills
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office, e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Demonstrable experience of working successfully with partner organisations.
Your essential qualifications
• Full driving licence and regular access to a vehicle.
• Degree in appropriate discipline or an equivalent qualification or relevant experience in private sector housing.
If you have the following experience or qualifications – it’s a bonus
• Experience of Empty Homes work and relevant legislation
• Experience of working in local government
• Experience of writing policies and reports
• Knowledge of the local private rented sector housing market.
• Experience of investigating complaints and taking formal enforcement action under Housing Act 2004, including serving notices.
• Experience of issuing civil penalties, preparing cases for prosecution and attending appeals at First Tier Property Tribunals.
• Certificate of competence in Housing Health and Safety Rating System
• Membership of a professional body such as CIEH, CIH.
The benefits we offer
• A basic 25 days annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.
• Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!
• Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.
• A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary
• The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store) so that you can cycle to work!
• Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more)
• We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.
• A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.
We look forward to hearing from you.
You may also have experience in the following: Housing Lettings Officer, Lettings Officer, Housing Officer, Housing Assessment Officer, Allocations Officer, Housing Advisor, Housing Needs Officer, Housing Options Officer, Housing Support Officer, Social Housing Officer, etc
REF-214 435