Income Officer - Housing

Our client, a social housing provider, seek an experienced Income Officer for a permanent position paying £35.000 pa.

The role:

• Manage rent accounts and other housing related debts, on a regular basis in order to identify cases that require action.
• Negotiate repayment agreements with tenants and take corrective action where such agreements are not maintained, adhering to the Ministry of Justice Pre-action Protocol for Rent Possessions.
• Refer residents to welfare benefit and debt support services to ensure that residents are able to maximise their income by ensuring take up of any entitlement to benefits.
• Make regular and early contact with all residents in arrears through home visits, telephone calls, text messages, e-mails and office interviews, sometimes outside normal working hours.
• Prepare and submit cases to the County Court for Possession Hearings and attend court hearings and carry out evictions due to rent arrears.
• Identify vulnerable residents and make referrals to the resident support team to ensure appropriate support is put in place.
• Maximize income collection while minimising the risk of repossession through making use of direct housing payments, charitable applications, food bank referrals and any other means of financial support available.
• Deliver income management services while demonstrating high standards of customer care.

The successful candidate:

Experience, knowledge, understanding:

• Knowledge of housing law, the regulatory framework and good practice with regards to debt recovery essentials

• Front line experience in credit control or income collection

• Proven experience within a customer service environment and able to demonstrate high levels of customer care

• Self-motivated and able to prioritise own workload and work on own initiative

• Experience of presenting cases to court and knowledge of the court system and legal remedies relating to debt recovery

• Extensive knowledge of welfare benefits and welfare Benefit reform

• Commitment to providing a high-quality service to residents, colleagues and external stakeholders.

£35,000 per annum

Hybrid - Blackfriars

Full time