Housing Needs delivers a variety of services to our residents to help relief and prevent homelessness.

This role focuses on procuring private accommodations to support other departments and residents. The role reports to the Private Sector Lettings Senior Officer. 

Job Purpose: To lead on securing through individual negotiations a supply of private rented accommodation at affordable renting levels to use to meet housing needs.

The post holder will authorise payments and ensure supply by negotiating rents and offering payments from the homelessness prevention fund to secure properties for a range of customer groups, including homelessness prevention and relief cases, move on from supported housing and move on from temporary accommodation. To provide the necessary support for prospective tenants to enable them to start their tenancy.

Responsibilities: To operate a property finding service by generating leads from a variety of sources including known landlords, web sites, publications and cold calling.

To provide information to landlords on services available, assist landlords in completing any property related administration and keep accurate records of all landlord contact details.

To provide information to landlords on their responsibilities, and advise them on how to meet them. 

To carry out inspections of properties and write property inspection reports in order to assess their suitability for households in housing need, investigate any disrepair issues, identify potential health and safety hazards and make recommendations.

To liaise with Housing Advisors and other Housing Needs colleagues in order to assess prospective tenants' suitability for private renting by reviewing their housing history and housing needs assessment, confirming their financial circumstances and ability to maintain a PRS tenancy.

To provide prospective tenants with comprehensive details of suitable and available private rented properties for letting and conducting an innovative matching service between prospective tenant and available properties, depending on tenant needs.

To ensure all available and suitable private rented properties are inspected, advertised and let as quickly as possible, in line with agreed procedures. 

To undertake accompanied viewings with prospective tenants and provide tenants and landlords with expert advice and guidance on all aspects of letting.

To ensure prospective tenants are fully assisted with applying for Universal Credit or Housing Benefits and fully advised regarding setting up direct rent payments.

To liaise with the council's Empty Property Officer, Home Improvement Agency and private sector enforcement service to maximise the take up of grants and opportunities for landlords.

To attend and actively participate in advertising the Council's Private Renting Scheme at various landlords and tenants forums, trade events and one-to-one liaison meetings with lettings professionals and landlords and  contribute to the design and content of promotional materials.