Job Description:
Job Overview
We are seeking a dedicated Allocations Officer to join our team. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing allocation processes, ensuring efficient distribution of resources, and maintaining accurate records. This role offers an excellent opportunity for individuals with strong organisational skills and experience in negotiation and property management software such as Yardi. The position is paid and suitable for candidates eager to contribute to organisational efficiency and service excellence.
Responsibilities:
* No direct supervisory responsibility however may be requirement to assist in induction and training of peers and new employees.
* To demonstrate understanding of the Council’s Customer Care Standards and ensure that these standards are met in order to deliver the Council vision of ‘putting our residents first’.
* To provide holistic, informed and accurate housing advice which is “right first time”, to all approaches to the service.
* To support, coach and empower residents to independently assess and manage their own housing situation and make informed choices.
* To investigate and assess all applicants under the Housing Act 1985 and Housing Act 1996 (Part VI) to assess whether housing is required. This may include interviewing applicants to determine their eligibility, making detailed enquires to other organisations to verify information, and carrying out home visits in order to confirm/evaluate housing circumstances, if required.
* To prioritise all applicants in the appropriate category and banding in line with the Council’s allocation policy and other guidelines. To write and serve decision letters on all applications, explaining the reasons for their decision and advising them of their right to review.
* To contribute to the maintenance of the choice based letting system which enables applicants to bid for properties, including the advertising and marketing of available properties.
* To make appropriate nominations and allocations to all permanent accommodation that the Council owns or has nomination rights to. To do so within agreed timescales to minimise voids periods and potential financial loss to the Council.
* Actively support and manage the housing allocation process to minimise void/ re-let times. Develop and implement creative strategies to reduce re-let times in council housing and temporary accommodation.
* Support the placing of households into emergency accommodation, where required, including households for social care services. To support reception and late duty rotas (outside office hours) as required to ensure that all customers approved for emergency accommodation are placed on the day.
* To provide accurate advice to households regarding their offer and consequences of refusals.
* To provide telephone and reception services as needed for customers with rehousing enquiries, including participation in section rotas.
* To undertake project work around new initiatives and priorities that the Council or Government may develop, including targeted housing support, special viewings or lettings schemes and research on housing needs.
* To make all necessary referrals to relevant services or departments, including the Council’s medical officer, social care services and housing options services, and investigate high need or exceptional cases. This will include preparing reports for the allocations and social care panels where required.
* To amend and update cases, properties and schemes on the LOCATA system and advise applicants on the use of the service. This will include monitoring and identifying any anomalies in bidding patterns and taking action to address issues, such as non-bidding or inappropriate bidding.
* To actively manage case work in accordance to expected standards of timeliness and quality and to adhere to agreed procedures at all times, including maintaining effective record keeping.
* Be knowledgeable and up to date with housing legislation, policy, procedures, case law and Codes of Guidance to ensure statutory requirements are consistently met.
* To contribute to communicating clearly and effectively with staff, customers and their representatives, Elected Members, colleagues and other third parties around all aspects of the service delivery and linkages with other areas, promoting a widespread understanding of the service and its capacity in order to manage stakeholders’ expectations and agree realistic outcomes and goals.
* Represent the service at meetings, case conferences and on committees/bodies as required.
* To undertake investigations into complaints and Members Enquiries and ombudsman enquiries as required. Ensure corporate standards are met consistently, including complaints and Members Enquiries, as required.
* Contribute to the development and review of procedure manuals providing guidance on the functions of the team.
* To actively support and contribute to the effective management of the allocated department / team budget.
* To ensure all purchasing and procurement is conducted in line with the corporate guidelines with appropriate use of the Council’s financial systems.
* To demonstrate cost-consciousness and identify any cost-effective changes to own way of working