Housing Officer

Head of Housing at Westmoreland Supported Housing Association

Salary : £28,316.85 + £5,500 car allowance per annum

Contract Type : Full Time, Permanent

Application Deadline : 5 October 2025

Are you passionate about supporting people and making a difference? We are looking for a new enthusiastic and dedicated Housing Officer to join our team, covering distinct regions in the southwest of England.

About Westmoreland

We are a Housing Association that provides an enhanced housing service designed to meet the needs of our vulnerable customers with mental and physical disabilities, by offering high quality housing and assistance through our partner care providers.

Your Role

The post will support the provision of specialist supported housing in working with specific services to let and manage properties to meet the needs of the customers. We currently operate and provide support services for over 900 homes, providing a safe space for adults with a wide range of care and support needs including learning difficulties, autism, brain injuries and other physical and mental impairments.

You will work closely with a number of care providers, some of which provide an on-site 24-hour service, others of which provide lower support, and ensure good liaison with our partners including local authorities, health services, and voluntary organisations.

You will deliver a safe, good, proactive and adaptable service to all customers on an allocated patch across specialist supported housing homes. You will build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues within the organisation and external stakeholders.

You will deliver an exceptional housing management service which puts customers at the heart of what we do and provides a stable and sustainable environment which promotes successful living and engagement and promotes inclusion.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide a responsive and pro-active tenancy management service, including requests relating to the tenancy.
• Investigate and resolve tenancy breaches in line with Westmoreland’s procedures and where appropriate work in partnership with other agencies and Westmoreland colleagues, whilst supporting vulnerable residents to maintain their tenancies, or take enforcement action if appropriate, always making sure any action is proportionate.
• Ensure grounds maintenance and communal cleaning is managed to a high standard, and to raise any concerns with the Cleaning and Gardening Contracts Manager.
• To make sure our homes are safe, and all fire actions arising from fire risk assessments are carried out within specified timescales.
• Support the Income Officer in the recovery of arrears by liaising with advocates, appointees, power of attorneys and care providers, and engaging with customers regarding rent income.
• Promote the service to stakeholders and ensure up to date information about the accommodation and housing management service.
• Efficient management of void properties to ensure quick re-let; with pre-let and post processes, ensuring void repairs are ordered and completed quickly.
• Draw up tenancy agreements and get customers signed up to their tenancy agreements, including the use of Westmoreland’s easy read tenancy. Ensuring customers understand their tenancy agreement and how to maintain this. Where a person doesn’t have capacity to sign their tenancy agreement, working with Appointees / Deputies / Attorneys to ensure the tenancy agreement is signed.
• To meet with new customers at the point of moving in, as part of their induction and understanding of their tenancy responsibilities and rights.
• Carry out monthly visits to all properties within your patch and meet with customers and care providers to provide a pro-active service to all customers and ensuring all hazards and risks are addressed and managed.
• Work in partnership with care providers and local authorities and / or Occupational Health teams to arrange adaptations and alterations to help maintain tenancies within guidelines.
• To work closely with the Housing Benefit Officer and Senior Housing Benefit Specialist to ensure paperwork is received in a timely manner to enable them to claim Housing Benefit for customers entitled to it.
• Contribute towards and participate in the collection of the annual Tenant Satisfaction Measures as set by the Regulator of Social Housing.
• Pro-actively resolve incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) and nuisance with the involvement of the care provider as appropriate.
• Establish good relationships with neighbours of properties and ensure any concerns or incidents they have are responded to professionally and quickly.
• To work in partnership with the care provider to pro-actively react to and address issues of disrepair, cyclical works and improvements.
• To adopt a positive and flexible approach to your role, which requires you to attend meetings at locations set by the business, and to work outside of normal office hours when required.
• Maintain accurate and organised IT and file records on customers and properties, particularly in relation to void management, tenancy sign up, antisocial behaviour, complaints and terminations.
• Prioritise income maximisation and avoidance of loss of income through rent losses from voids and arrears, rechargeable repairs and utilities.
• Provide meter readings at monthly visits.
• Help maintain and enhance effective working relationships with the care providers and local authorities.
• Assure compliance with Service Level Agreements, Management Agreements and Leases.
• Meet the requirements of Homes England regulatory standards.
• Encourage and support meaningful customer, family and appointee involvement in all aspects of the services.
• Bring any safeguarding concerns to the attention of the Housing Manager, Head of Housing or Managing Director.
• To comply with the policies of the Association and ensure they are carried out and that full compliance and good practice is maintained.
• Contribute to the continuing improvement and development of working practices, policy and procedure in relation to housing management.
• Carry out such duties as may be required from time to time outside of this job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications / Knowledge / Experience

1. Experience of working in social housing, preferably in a specialist supported setting. - Desirable

2. Computer literate, with knowledge of Word and Excel - Essential

3. Excellent level of general education (numeracy & literacy) - Essential

4. Good verbal and written communication skills and an ability to represent the Association externally - Essential

6. Ability to sensitively manage difficult situations with customers to achieve positive outcomes. - Essential

7. Knowledge of the legal framework and good practice in housing management - Desirable

8. An awareness of current housing, welfare and neighbourhood management issues - Desirable

9. A positive “can do” attitude and a commitment to a high standard of service delivery. - Essential

10. Able to collaborate and work as part of a team. - Essential

11. Appreciate difference and treat all people with dignity and respect. - Essential

12. Responsible, resilient and able to work under pressure. - Essential

13. Full driving licence, and access to a car for work use. - Essential

14. An understanding of welfare benefits, specifically housing benefit. - Desirable

15. Basic DBS Certificate. - Essential

Seniority level

Employment type

Job function

Walsall, England, United Kingdom 2 hours ago

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