Senior Housing Options Reviews Officer - Castle Point BC

Our values: Trust, Respect, Improving and Learning, and Customer Focus

The Opportunity

We’re recruiting a Senior Housing Options Reviews Officer to join our Housing Options Team on a 3-month temporary basis. Please note that this opportunity can be home based but you must be prepared to travel to site when required.

You will carry out statutory reviews under s202 of the Housing Act 1996 which relate to the acceptance and ending of duties, and suitability of accommodation relating to both temporary, final settled offers in relief and settled offers of accommodation under s193.

You will also assist with reviews where previously accepted duty has been discharged under s193 of the Act and conduct reviews of decisions made in accordance with the city council’s Allocation Scheme.

You will be an experienced and motivated candidate with a sound knowledge of the Housing Act 1996 as amended, in particular Parts VI and VII. You will also have a detailed knowledge of the Homeless Reduction Act with a good understanding of how the new legislation impacts homelessness duties.

You will have experience of making autonomous decisions under s184 and s202 of the Act and decisions governed by the provisions of an Allocation Scheme.

Accountabilities

• Ideally you will also assist the Head of Service in the day-to-day allocation of work to the Housing Reviews Team and to provide guidance on the interpretation of complex legislation and the statutory duties of the Council on relevant legislation and enactment of law and ensure implementation of any subsequent changes arising from amendments in statute and guidance


• You will also assist the Head of Service with coordinating the review function and ensuring that decisions are robust, high quality and transparent, ensuring that reviews are conducted in compliance with the statutory timescales, regulatory framework, and the Code of Guidance


• Responsible for providing guidance and instruction to Housing Options Officer regarding the nature and extent of appropriate enquiries


• You will be expected to carry out regular case management as well as monitoring casework quality to ensure that decisions are defendable on appeal


• Carry out relevant inquiries and maintain accurate, detailed notes in a timely manner


• Work collaboratively with the wider housing service providing feedback and guidance to original decision makers


• Work in conjunction with the Head of Service or other senior officers when assessing requests for the provision of interim accommodation and where refusal is appropriate to draft detailed decisions setting out the Council’s reason for that refusal


• Participate in team duties such as the recording of review requests, maintaining and accurately updating databases and team mailboxes


• Liaise with each Council’s legal representatives and attend Court when required


• Possess an analytical, investigative approach towards your work and have the ability to critically appraise information and communicate complex decision making in writing. You will also be expected to use the findings of your review work to identify opportunities for service improvement and good practice

• The Experience You Will Bring

• Experienced decision maker and have a detailed knowledge of the Housing Act 1996 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and with regard to the Homelessness Code of Guidance 2017 and the relevant Council’s Allocation Schemes.


• Possess a detailed knowledge of parts VI and VII of the Housing Act 1996 as amended, the Homelessness Code of Guidance, as well as a working knowledge of relevant case law which you will apply when undertaking any statutory review.


• Possess excellent writing skills and be able to draft detailed, fully particularised robust decisions of a sufficient standard so as to withstand any further challenge and which address the relevant legislation and objective argument(s) in relation to that review.


• Possess an analytical, investigative approach towards your work and have the ability to critically appraise information and communicate complex decision making in writing. You will also be expected to use the findings of your review work to identify opportunities for service improvement and good practice.

Castle Point Borough Council is proud to be a disability confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

Castle Point Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [email protected]