Damp and Disrepair Manager – South West Council
£389 PAYE / £500 Umbrella or Deemed LTD (Inside IR35)
37 hours per week
Ongoing contract
We are currently recruiting for an experienced Damp and Disrepair Manager to join a high-performing Housing and Landlord Services team for a major South West local authority. This is a key leadership role within the Responsive Repairs division, supporting the Head of Service in the delivery of all housing condition-related functions, including disrepair claims, damp and mould casework, and customer complaints.
This role is accountable for the effective delivery of complex disrepair and damp investigations, ensuring all legislative responsibilities are met and legal claims are managed and resolved in partnership with internal legal teams. You’ll also lead multi-disciplinary teams of surveyors, technical officers, and administrative support staff to deliver consistent, high-quality service with a right-first-time ethos.
Responsibilities:
* Lead and manage teams responsible for housing disrepair, damp and mould, and complaint handling functions.
* Act as a lead technical specialist on all legal matters relating to housing condition claims, including preparing expert witness reports and representing the council in court.
* Monitor performance to ensure complaints, repairs, and claims are resolved within prescribed timescales, budgets, and quality standards.
* Ensure full compliance with disrepair legislation, housing regulation, and case law while identifying service improvements.
* Oversee and review works completed by trade teams and contractors, ensuring quality control, tenant satisfaction, and budget adherence.
* Scrutinise live and historic disrepair data to identify trends, reduce case durations, and lower legal spend.
* Drive a culture of continuous learning, embedding lessons learned from disrepair claims and customer feedback into future service delivery.
* Work cross-functionally with legal, repairs, and compliance teams to deliver a joined-up, customer-first approach.
* Provide visible leadership and support to a multi-disciplinary team, managing workloads, development, and performance.
Requirements:
* Educated to degree level in Building Surveying, Environmental Health, or related construction field.
* Extensive experience at a senior level in housing, disrepair case management, and responsive repairs.
* Strong knowledge of housing disrepair law, technical building standards, and landlord obligations.
* Proven leadership experience managing surveyors, technical teams, contractors, and external suppliers.
* Skilled in preparing expert reports and acting as a lead witness in court or tribunal settings.
* Ability to interrogate financial and performance data to drive service improvements.
* Strong communication and influencing skills, particularly in sensitive and high-pressure situations.
* Proficient with Microsoft Office and housing repair software.
Contact:
For more information or to apply, please contact James at Service Care Solutions -01772 208967 - james.glover@servicecare.org.uk #J-18808-Ljbffr