Housing Enforcement Officer
| Posting date: | 24 May 2024 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 June 2024 |
| Location: | The Guildhall, Northampton |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | The Jeya Group Ltd |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: |
Summary
Location The Guildhall, Northampton – at least 2 days week, remote across West Northamptonshire – further 3 days per week
Duration of assignment: 12 weeks
Working hours: 37 hours Monday to Friday
Rate: £30 - £35 (Umbrella) per hour
IR35 status: Inside IR35
Ideal start date: ASAP
This role is accountable to the Housing Enforcement Manager, and whilst having no direct line management responsibilities, opportunities exist for the development of management skills through coaching and mentoring colleagues. The role sits within Private Sector Housing Services, part of the Housing and Communities Directorate in West Northamptonshire Council.
Responsibilities:
1. Undertake a range of activities including property inspections, HHSRS assessments, the drafting of schedules of work and the preparation and serving of notices, interviewing people under caution, executing warrants of entry and carrying out works in default and prepare cases for prosecution or the imposition of civil penalties to ensure the maintenance and improvement of standards across the Private Rented sector. Give evidence as necessary in the Tribunal and Courts Service.
2. Work collaboratively with the owners and managers of licensable HMOs to ensure that their properties are licensed, well managed, maintained in a good condition, meet the amenity standards and comply with the HMO Management Regulations.
3. Respond promptly, within agreed timescales, to complaints about serious disrepair and housing- related nuisance in the private sector and, through investigation, evaluate risks and hazards and determine the nature, cause, urgency and remedy of the problems.
4. Develop and maintain close working relations with a wide range of other services and organisations in order to facilitate the flow of information, encourage joint working and co- operation, achieve the prompt resolution of complex problems and ensure that, even when an input is required from a number of teams, service delivery is always well co-ordinated and the service user is kept fully informed of developments.
This role is accountable to the Housing Enforcement Manager, and whilst having no direct line
management responsibilities, opportunities exist for the development of management skills
through coaching and mentoring colleagues. The role sits within Private Sector Housing
Services, part of the Housing and Communities Directorate in West Northamptonshire Council.
5. Work collaboratively and proactively with colleagues across the Team, and the wider Council ensuring delivery of coordinated services to tackle harassment and unlawful eviction, preventing homelessness, and ensuring that Council managed accommodation is compliant with Housing law.
6. Work proactively with Planning, Revenues & Benefits, Housing Options & Advice, the Anti Social Behaviour Team, Trading Standards, the Police, Immigration, the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service and other services to identify and target those HMOs that should be licenced but are not, and those non-licensable HMOs that need an urgent inspection because it is suspected that they are severely overcrowded, in a very poor state of repair and/or pose a very high risk to the occupants and their visitors.
7. Maintainprofessionalcompetenceandkeepabreastofdevelopmentsinrelationtoprivatesector housing enforcement (including the introduction of civil penalties and rent repayment orders) and the relevant legislation through research and reading, attendance of courses and briefings, and the use of established networks.
8. Contribute to the development, implementation and co-ordination of new working practices and initiatives that tackle overcrowding, reduce the number of licensable HMOs operating without a licence and improve private sector housing conditions.
9. To maximise personal productivity, minimise duplication and errors; and manage our information efficiently and securely to reduce risk, though effective use of Office 365 and our internal IT systems and applications.
10.Actively challenge and seek to eliminate any directly or indirectly discriminatory practice or behaviours.
11.Demonstrate awareness and understanding of other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs and ensure that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and other persons.
Key areas:-
• HHSRS certificated
• Recent experience of enforcement activities under the Housing Act 2004, including the drafting and issue of enforcement notices, financial penalties, magistrates court, and first tier tribunal
• Recent experience of undertaking housing inspections, the recognition of Category 1 hazards, and the remediation of Category 1 hazards
Duration of assignment: 12 weeks
Working hours: 37 hours Monday to Friday
Rate: £30 - £35 (Umbrella) per hour
IR35 status: Inside IR35
Ideal start date: ASAP
This role is accountable to the Housing Enforcement Manager, and whilst having no direct line management responsibilities, opportunities exist for the development of management skills through coaching and mentoring colleagues. The role sits within Private Sector Housing Services, part of the Housing and Communities Directorate in West Northamptonshire Council.
Responsibilities:
1. Undertake a range of activities including property inspections, HHSRS assessments, the drafting of schedules of work and the preparation and serving of notices, interviewing people under caution, executing warrants of entry and carrying out works in default and prepare cases for prosecution or the imposition of civil penalties to ensure the maintenance and improvement of standards across the Private Rented sector. Give evidence as necessary in the Tribunal and Courts Service.
2. Work collaboratively with the owners and managers of licensable HMOs to ensure that their properties are licensed, well managed, maintained in a good condition, meet the amenity standards and comply with the HMO Management Regulations.
3. Respond promptly, within agreed timescales, to complaints about serious disrepair and housing- related nuisance in the private sector and, through investigation, evaluate risks and hazards and determine the nature, cause, urgency and remedy of the problems.
4. Develop and maintain close working relations with a wide range of other services and organisations in order to facilitate the flow of information, encourage joint working and co- operation, achieve the prompt resolution of complex problems and ensure that, even when an input is required from a number of teams, service delivery is always well co-ordinated and the service user is kept fully informed of developments.
This role is accountable to the Housing Enforcement Manager, and whilst having no direct line
management responsibilities, opportunities exist for the development of management skills
through coaching and mentoring colleagues. The role sits within Private Sector Housing
Services, part of the Housing and Communities Directorate in West Northamptonshire Council.
5. Work collaboratively and proactively with colleagues across the Team, and the wider Council ensuring delivery of coordinated services to tackle harassment and unlawful eviction, preventing homelessness, and ensuring that Council managed accommodation is compliant with Housing law.
6. Work proactively with Planning, Revenues & Benefits, Housing Options & Advice, the Anti Social Behaviour Team, Trading Standards, the Police, Immigration, the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service and other services to identify and target those HMOs that should be licenced but are not, and those non-licensable HMOs that need an urgent inspection because it is suspected that they are severely overcrowded, in a very poor state of repair and/or pose a very high risk to the occupants and their visitors.
7. Maintainprofessionalcompetenceandkeepabreastofdevelopmentsinrelationtoprivatesector housing enforcement (including the introduction of civil penalties and rent repayment orders) and the relevant legislation through research and reading, attendance of courses and briefings, and the use of established networks.
8. Contribute to the development, implementation and co-ordination of new working practices and initiatives that tackle overcrowding, reduce the number of licensable HMOs operating without a licence and improve private sector housing conditions.
9. To maximise personal productivity, minimise duplication and errors; and manage our information efficiently and securely to reduce risk, though effective use of Office 365 and our internal IT systems and applications.
10.Actively challenge and seek to eliminate any directly or indirectly discriminatory practice or behaviours.
11.Demonstrate awareness and understanding of other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs and ensure that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and other persons.
Key areas:-
• HHSRS certificated
• Recent experience of enforcement activities under the Housing Act 2004, including the drafting and issue of enforcement notices, financial penalties, magistrates court, and first tier tribunal
• Recent experience of undertaking housing inspections, the recognition of Category 1 hazards, and the remediation of Category 1 hazards