To deliver an effective housing solutions service to residents working in close partnership with internal colleagues and external agencies (including Adult Social Care, the Police, Children Services) to manage complex housing and tenancy cases (including anti-social behaviour, safeguarding, domestic abuse tenancy sustainment and tenancy Fraud).
Key Responsibilities
Complex tenancy case management
Leads on the investigation and management of ASB, Hate Crime, Domestic Violence, Neighbour Nuisance, subletting, unauthorised occupants and squatting casework in line with policy and procedures using initiative to achieve positive and sustainable solutions
Reviews and analyses results from data matching exercises and carry out tenancy checks against our own and other records other checks
Interviews, take witness statements and initiates and helps prepare legal proceedings, including acting as a Court Witness. Pursues appropriate legal remedies which will range from injunctions, repossession, Unlawful Profit Orders, or other legal remedies in conjunction with other agencies e.g. Criminal Behaviour Order (ASB) and criminal prosecutions (Tenancy Fraud)
Investigate cases during both office and non-office hours including weekends to ensure that necessary evidence is collected. Interviews with residents which will take place at both offices and in residents homes (announced and unannounced). Where tenancy fraud is suspected this will on occasion involve joint interviews with a Local Authority investigator
Identifies vulnerabilities that may be a factor in ASB complainants and alleged perpetrators behaviour and provide appropriate support and/or referrals. Effective and sensitive support is also provided to ASB witnesses
Identifies, develops and implement preventative measures and diversionary projects to reduce ASB/Neighbour Nuisance and Tenancy Fraud. This will include for example working closely with colleagues on scheme improvements to deter ASB, implementing new checks and controls to minimise fraud and working closely with Octavia Foundation on community projects
Maintains and analyses ASB and Fraud case management data to improve understanding of the nature of ASB/Tenancy Fraud and help identify service improvements
Maintains expert knowledge of relevant legislation and good practice and provide relevant briefings to colleagues, senior staff and residents forums
General
Work closely with Octavia colleagues and associated external statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary approach to supporting people and wider prevention initiatives to find the best tenancy solutions
Effectively utilise all IT systems to capture contacts and case management progress and communications with residents and colleagues
Produce management information and reports as required that demonstrate activity and impact
Enable customers to participate in resident involvement activities in liaison with the Resident Involvement team to ensure they are able to influence services that impact on them
Manages expressions of dissatisfaction and complaints effectively by seeking to resolve at first point of contact and identifying resulting lessons learnt and required service improvements in line with the complaints policy and procedure. This will include responding to complaints arising from the use of the Community Trigger
Ensuring sensitive information relating to tenants is conveyed with the utmost discretion.
Be aware / sensitive to suspected cases of abuse, incidents or accidents involving a resident in respect of their emotional, mental or physical wellbeing and work within the agreed safeguarding or Domestic Abuse policies and procedures including recording case management notes
Achieve defined customer measures and performance metrics in several areas, including all customer contact, hoarding, safeguarding, domestic abuse, ASB, complaints and impact measures
Championing our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work
Actively promote safeguarding, health and safety across all tenancy solutions and support activities
Attend meetings (including evenings or weekends) i.e. service planning meetings, home or site visits and conference meetings with external agencies, representing Octavia, demonstrating professionalism and our core values, in terms of approach, advice and positioning
Requirements
For this position, we have listed the requirements we believe are essential for this role:
Experience
Demonstrative experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams to effectively manage complex tenancy cases (which may include tenancy fraud)
Proven investigative skills and handling of legal cases
Applied ASB and counter fraud measures legislation, good practice and policy and procedures in housing or other field
Demonstrative experience of effectively communicating with a diverse range of residents
Experience of utilising IT (including Microsoft Office) in multi locations
Experience of writing reports with complex information to a variety of audiences
Experience of working to deadlines
Knowledge
Sound knowledge of other relevant legislation (Housing Acts, ASB, Crime and Policing Act, Racial, Disability and Sex Discrimination and tenancy enforcement)
Understanding of best practice in & management of nuisance, harassment & anti-social behaviour
Understanding of landlord and tenant relationships and responsibilities
Knowledge of assessing individual needs in relation to vulnerability and referrals
Good understanding of social housing & neighbourhood management issues
Understanding of best practice In the of management of Anti-Social behaviour
Understanding of landlord and tenant relationships and responsibilities
Understanding of Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act
Good time management skills, ability to prioritise, work to deadlines & meet targets
Demonstrable ability & commitment to working with tenants to achieve positive service outcomes & commitment to continuous improvement in service delivery
Able to form and maintain good working relationships at all levels internally & externally
Ability to resolve, anticipate & prevent problems
Able to take responsibility & work independently & flexibly
Effective investigation skills
Ability to deal with residents sensitively & with care
Use of databases, spreadsheets and word processing systems
Benefits
The salary for this role is £38,200 per annum with up to 10% pension contribution.
Together, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. Everyone is welcome.
