PRS Access Officer - Housing

Role Purpose 
To provide a comprehensive housing options service working with private sector landlords and letting agents to secure suitable and affordable accommodation to provide housing to homeless clients who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Working with homeless clients to match them to accommodation available. Ensuring objective, targets and quality standards are met whilst meeting high levels of customer service. 
Responsibilities 

• To prevent homelessness and follow processes for effective move-on from costly temporary accommodation into affordable private rented accommodation in and out of the borough via Capital Letters, West London OOL Project and social lets via Homefinder; ensuring void properties are let efficiently, minimising the use of costly nightly accommodation and highlight Move-on 'blockages' within the system.
• To develop and implement a PRS Tenants Register from different housing databases (Locata/Northgate), to promote good quality private rented accommodation, engaging with agents and landlords enable the council to end its homelessness duties; by maintaining up to date knowledge of the subsequent statutory changes, compliance with Code of Guidance and legal position with regard to discharge of duty, suitability, and acceptance of private rented sector (PRSO’s) offers as part of the TA Reduction Programme.
• To make suitability and affordability decisions that are legally correct when discharging Councils duty when housing clients into suitable and affordable private rented accommodation in accordance with the homeless suitability legislation. Taking lead on ensuring that PRSP/PRSO processes are completed in ending the Council’s housing duty.   
• To assist to respond to Members’ enquiries and customer complaints within departmental, corporate, and legislative timescales and procedures, including written and verbal briefings and reports for senior management, Councillors, Members of Parliament, solicitors, and other statutory and non-statutory agencies.

Requirements 

• Experience of working within a housing options centre or similar environment with good understanding of homelessness and housing legislation and placing households in the private sector and other housing pathways.
• Full UK Drivers Licence
• Experience of working with homeless and other vulnerable people and private sector landlords and letting agents and the housing market.
• Experience of developing and implementing policies, practises and principles around property procurement and contract management. and a good understanding of lettings and tenancy management, and of principles and practise around working with landlords and their agents.
• The ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with customers, legal representatives, advocates, senior managers and members of the Council and other stakeholders on a wide range of complex and sensitive issues

Contract

• Initial 3 month contract with the opportunity to extend 
• Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (Hybrid Position)
• PAYE via Umbrella 
• Will be required to drive own car for Council business 

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