Salary and grade
: £42,576 per year, Grade 6
Duration of role:
Fixed term for 1 year
Hours per week
: Full-time, 37 hours per week
Location
: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon. The councils operate in a truly flexible, and hybrid way where the focus is on outcomes not where you work.
Closing Date:
26 August 2024 (Midnight)
Interviews:
to take place w/c 2 September 2024
About the role and what we're looking for
This varied role requires the applicant to have a sound knowledge of the broad range of legislation covering housing standards.
The successful applicant will be joining a team helping to improve housing standards for residents across Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Investigate complaints regarding housing disrepair, in line with council policies and procedures, using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Where appropriate, to initiate and follow through formal enforcement action under the Housing Act 2004 or to issue civil penalties under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.
- Undertake mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) including investigation and enforcement of unlicensed HMOs.
- Undertake immigration housing inspections including assessments of house condition, size, over-crowding, etc. and producing reports/recommendations.
- Work with the councils' home improvement agency to facilitate applications for housing repair grants and loans under the councils' Housing Assistance Grants and Loans Policy.
- Implement and enforce Minimum Level of Energy Efficiency Standards for Private Rented Properties (MEES) (Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015).
- Implement and enforce the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
- Make referrals to fuel poverty and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) grant support schemes.
- Carry out other general housing duties or other reasonable duties as requested by the line manager.
- The duties may vary from time to time without changing the nature of the post or the level of responsibility and the post holder may also be required to carry out any other duties appropriate to the grading of the post.
About you
Your essential skills, knowledge and experience
- At least two years' experience of private sector housing work including investigating complaints using HHSRS and licensing of HMOs.
- Experience of taking formal enforcement action under Housing Act 2004, including serving notices.
- Ability to progress work in a timely manner.
- Demonstrate ability to make and implement decisions.
- Proven team working skills.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Political awareness and the ability to escalate issues to senior managers to enable them to inform elected members.
- Competent user of Microsoft Office, e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
- Experience of liaising and working with partner organisations.
- Experience of report writing.
Your essential qualifications
- Full driving licence and regular access to a vehicle.
- Degree in appropriate discipline or an equivalent qualification or relevant experience.
If you have the following experience or qualifications – it's a bonus
- Experience of issuing civil penalties, preparing cases for prosecution and attending appeals at First Tier Property Tribunals.
- Technical knowledge of building and surveying.
- Experience of housing repair and adaptation grants and loans.
- Experience of implementing energy efficiency/fuel poverty projects.
- Membership of professional body such as CIEH, CIH
- Building surveying qualification
- Environmental Health qualification
About us
Our vision and values are important to the councils, and we expect you to support them and embed them in the way we work.
Our vision
We are seen as being customer-focussed, approachable and business-like. We are honest and open and are renowned for providing high-quality cost-effective services.
Our values
- We act with integrity and show respect
- We are all accountable
- We are passionate about our business
- We strive for simplicity
- We love success
The benefits we offer
- A basic 25 days annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.
- Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!
- Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.
- A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary
- The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store)
- Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more)
- We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.
- A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.
You may have experience in the following roles: Environmental Health Officer, Housing Standards Officer, Housing Enforcement Officer, HMO Licensing Officer, Private Rented Sector Officer, Housing Compliance Officer, Tenancy Relations Officer, Residential Property Officer, Housing Strategy Officer, Empty Homes Officer, etc.
REF-216 068