Income Officer

Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Income Officer for our client, a local government organisation based in Wembley, London.

The successful post holder will deliver an efficient and robust administrative function to the Rent Income Team within the General Needs Service and provide residential and non-residential rent collection services to all council tenants.

Deliver services for residents including face-to-face, telephone, email and virtual communication while ensuring pace, confidentiality and empathy are provided.

Collaborate with the Rent Income Officers, Area Tenancy Managers, Welfare Advisors and Income and Financial Inclusion Management Team to provide the best service possible for our residents.

This role is a temporary contract with an initial contract length of 3 months with the possibility to extend. This role is hybrid working.

Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:

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• Collaborate with the Rent Income Team to provide a robust duty rota and answer queries at reception regarding tenant rent accounts and arrears; re-directing calls and enquiries where necessary to officers.
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• Deal with tenant enquiries by providing rent account balances and making repayment arrangements on non-complex arrears cases, managing difficult and sensitive conversations or complaints in a balanced, tactful and diplomatic manner.
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• Monitor and reduce former tenant rent accounts and sundry debt accounts, taking prompt action to prevent the accumulation of debt and recommending non-recoverable debts for write off.
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• Be fully conversant with the relevant legislative and statutory requirements and the organisation's key policies and procedures pertaining to a range of services, but in particular rent collection; Be able to explain these to tenants in plain English and without technical jargon.
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• Setting up direct debits, taking rent payments over the telephone, ordering rent cards and rent statements for council tenants.
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• Routing all post items, emails, tasks, etc received into Rent Income CRM queue to individual officers and managers for further action.
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• Verify rent and service charges on the Universal Credit portal and sending out standard notification letters to all new Universal Credit applicants
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• Manage, monitor and maintain all parking and storage accounts including rent collection, enforcement and recovery action.
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• To help prepare court application papers using claims online systems as required
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• Collect low level arrears on residential rent accounts as directed by the Income Manager.
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• Collate the relevant data for Freedom of Information and Subject Access request, or any other requests, to ensure timeliness of response.
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• Search for unallocated rent payments in the council’s Sundry Account to be transferred to appropriate rent account.
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• Take part and deliver project work when required.
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• Develop and maintain appropriate administrative and support systems.
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• Input, maintain and assist in the collation of data and administration of applications.
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• Make payment agreements within strict constraints set out by the Income Manager.
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• Organise team meetings including writing minutes.
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• Provide a caring and professional customer experience at point of contact.
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• To provide advice on housing and other welfare benefits to tenants, assisting them in maximising income and benefit entitlement.
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Personal Requirements:

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• Understanding of social housing and delivering services to residents including key legislation and an understanding of the wider services.
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• Understanding landlord obligations from a safeguarding context.
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• Chartered Institute of Housing qualification at level 3 and above or equivalent experience in housing management.
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• GCSE pass in English and maths or comparable/equivalent qualifications.
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• Some knowledge of the Housing Acts, Landlord and Tenant Acts and the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act and how they relate to public sector leasehold management and service charges.
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Working Hours: 36hrs / Monday - Friday

Pay: £24.56 per hr

Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.