Housing advisor –  Cambridge

£19.99 per hour

Fixed term contract – Full Time

Key Accountabilities

• Advising on a wide spectrum of housing options to help prevent or relieve (find alternative accommodation) homelessness or improve customers’ housing circumstances by making sound judgements on the most suitable and sustainable option available
• Providing a triage service at point of initial customer contact to assess whether a formal homeless application has been triggered and a personal housing plan is required
• Fully assessing the support needs of each customer who is homeless or threatened with homelessness to whom the Council owes a statutory duty
• Negotiating and producing a personal housing plan for all customers who are homeless or threatened with homelessness as prescribed within relevant legislation and the Homelessness Code of Guidance
• Carrying out appropriate enquiries and investigations to establish whether the Council owes a statutory duty under relevant homelessness legislation and making formal decisions in this regard, following this with  written decisions to the applicant at each stage of the Council’s duties as defined by legislation.
• Interpreting homelessness and landlord tenant law, advising customers accordingly and dealing swiftly and effectively with cases which may involve harassment and illegal eviction,  passing these on to the Council’s housing enforcement officer where it is likely that sustained work is required and working with that officer as necessary
• Check the validity of legal notices and possession action taken by private landlords and advise tenants and landlords accordingly. Mediate between landlords and tenants with a view to preventing homelessness
• Support applicants in private tenancies to complete legal defence paperwork and attend court as necessary to avert possession action and signpost Council or Registered Provider tenants threatened with possession action to alternative legal support services in cases where a conflict of interest may exist.
• Offering welfare benefits advice
• Signposting to relevant advice agencies including, but not confined to financial, employment, tenancy support, domestic abuse, substance misuse and mental health services, internal officers, legal services and housing providers
• Establishing electronic casework files for applicants in receipt of housing options/advice and homeless applications
• Use of homelessness prevention fund and a range of homelessness prevention tools

Undertake/commission ad hoc valuations as required. To find out more information please contact Mason at (url removed)

Recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices. We are an equal opportunity agency.