Housing Support Officer

Location: Waterford/South East

Reporting to: South East Housing Manager

Terms: 6-month fixed term - Full Time 39 hours per week (Mon-Fri)

Salary range: €34,244 - €44,331(Please note that offers are typically made at the beginning to mid-range of the advertised salary, based on skills and experience)

Job Purpose:

To provide support to the South East Housing Team in both tenancy relations and rent management functions. This role will assist existing Tenancy Relations Officers in delivering comprehensive tenancy support, including handling tenant queries, managing antisocial behaviour cases, coordinating sign-ups, and overseeing voids.

In addition, the role will work closely with the Rent Team, with a particular focus on early intervention strategies to help tenants manage rent arrears and ensure timely collection of income documentation.

Core duties and responsibilities supporting Tenancy Relations Team:

• To visit prospective tenants prior to lettings.
• Carrying out accompanied viewings. 
• Ensuring effective ‘sign-ups’ for tenants.
• Selling the concept of tenancy sustainment and responsibility.
• Follow up at designated interval call over defined times and twice annual visit thereafter.
• To ensure a speedy and focussed response to breaches of tenancy conditions including antisocial behaviour.
• Action to be realistic, fast and efficient and supported by an effective action plan.
• Carry out regular estate inspections and regular monitoring of neighbourhood service contracts including cleaning and gardening with customers, contributing to drive up standards of all contractors.
• Work with tenants to develop the priorities for minor works and environmental improvement.
• To encourage involvement and feedback as an integral part of the service.
• To provide a consistently outstanding service, at agreed quality levels, making a real difference to tenants ensuring properties are well presented and maintained in thriving and well-maintained estates.
• Make links for tenants with networks of support to facilitate independent living.
• Provide updates to tenants in line with tenant communication strategy.
• Encourage tenant engagement on estates and facilitate implementation of tenant priorities.
• Establish the cause of any damage to property and ensure it is remedied.
• Support a satisfactory rent performance across your estates. 
• Provide some local supports in the management of properties and estates.
• Provide consistent and accurate defined reports.
• Ensure co-ordinator is updated on all issues in your area. 
• Report any issues of concern relating to tenants. Ensure a safe environment and implement all health and safety requirements. 
• Engage as an effective member of the tenant relations team.
• Consistently document compliance with Respond’s reporting systems including Active H, Quality system etc.
• To support the Housing team with any other relevant duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Core duties and responsibilities supporting Rent Team:

• To implement the Company Rent & Arrears Policy effectively in your region and ensure that targets set in relation to overall percentage rent arrears, accuracy of balances and rents being charged are achieved.
• To ensure that effective rent arrears controls are put in place and that total rent arrears are not greater than 3% of annual rental income.
• To ensure that residents rent balances are correct at all times.
• To complete Annual Rent Reviews and periodic rent reviews as required on all accounts.
• To coordinate the issuing of rent statements to residents on a quarterly basis. These are issued from Waterford.
• To ensure that income documentation is received and accurate when rent is being charged for all residents.
• Ensure accounts at commencement and termination of tenancies are correct.
• Liaise with Local Authorities on all HAP and RAS applications.
• General office duties including filing, records management, dealing with rental queries, mail and photocopying.
• Prepare and present relevant reports as required.
• To work in cooperation with our legal dept. in the preparation of submissions to the RTB.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team liaising on a daily basis with internal and external clients and agencies.
• To support the Rent team with any other relevant duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Person specification:

• A knowledge or experience as a housing officer or a credit control/collections environment would be highly beneficial.
• A number of years’ experience in an administrative role essential.
• Previous collections experience desirable.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to remain calm and polite with customers who may be angry or upset.
• Excellent numeracy skills.
• Excellent negotiation, organisation and planning skills.
• Good report writing and presentation skills.
• Good computer literacy including proficiency of the MS Office suite, particularly Excel & Word.
• Self-motivation and flexibility in their attitude to work.
• Ability to work as part of a team and to deadlines.
• A full driver’s licence and full use of a car is essential.