Job Description
3 months contract with a North London based Local Authority
Compliance & Monitoring Officer – Private Sector Housing
Job Summary:
· The provision of good quality, secure, private housing solutions for Enfield residents is a key priority in the Council’s Good Growth Housing Strategy.
· The Private Housing Team’s role is to be the strategic lead in this area; understanding the market, pressures for residents and creating solutions that contribute to a balanced housing market.
· Additionally, delivering cost savings to the Council, reducing homelessness.
· The Private Housing Solutions Team lead the Council’s independent housing company, Housing Gateway Ltd, growing an asset base of owned and leased stock. Recently the team have launched an ethical lettings agency, ensuring residents are not discriminated against because of their financial status.
About Us:
· We are a small, dynamic team with a commercial focus, working alongside the Council to deliver innovative housing solutions.
· We work in collaboration with the Council, to research, develop and deliver bespoke projects, in a past faced environment.
· We are a friendly team, who support hybrid, flexible working, focused on positive outcomes.
· HGL is a limited company, wholly owned by Enfield Council, with a portfolio of 662 properties in Enfield and surrounding areas.
· The company’s portfolio is let to tenants who have previously been in temporary accommodation, providing a stable, cost-effective housing solution for both the tenant and Enfield Council.
· HGL also provides accommodation for rough sleepers and those with learning and/or physical disabilities and/or mental health problems.
· EL is a social lettings agency established by HGL and Enfield Council in 2020.
· The company is an operating segment of HGL and leases a portfolio of properties which it then sublets to tenants nominated by Enfield Council supporting the Council’s efforts to tackle demand for accommodation in line with its housing strategy.
Key Duties/Accountabilities:
· Proactively maintain a spreadsheet database (or future asset management software which may be adopted) listing the testing and inspection requirements for each property owned or leased by HGL/EL and the expiry dates of the test certificates.
· Produce and proactively update a rolling 12month work plan detailing the testing and inspections to be commissioned within the next 12month period.
· Instruct contractors or HGL/EL staff to carry out the testing and/or inspections according to the work plan.
· Liaise with tenants, HGL/EL staff, long leaseholders, freeholders and contractors to arrange the access required for testing/inspections to be carried out within the required time periods.
· Monitor contractors and HGL/EL staff to ensure the required testing/inspections have been carried out and ensure that certificates and reports are stored in the relevant files and systems.
· Refer any technical issues highlighted in testing or inspection reports to HGL management and the relevant technical officer.
· Arrange for injunctions to be obtained and coordinate forced entries where tenants consistently refuse to provide access without good reason.
· Provide performance data as required by HGL Management and the HGL board, entering performance data into Pentana or any other performance management software HGL may adopt.
· Support HGL/EL management to produce reports for the HGL board or Enfield Council in its capacity as shareholder.
· Support HGL management to procure any contracts relevant to the CMO’s work areas.
· Undertake any other administrative activities as required by HGL/EL.
· Proactively maintain and update the compliance and inspection database and any subsequent asset management software which HGL/EL may adopt.
· Transfer data from existing databases to any subsequent asset management software which HGL/EL may adopt.
· Provide performance data to HGL/EL management as required.
· Ensure that certificates and reports are stored in the relevant files and systems and that relevant data has been extracted from them and inputted into the asset management database/software.
· Produce and maintain a 12month rolling work plan.
· Instruct contractors or HGL/EL staff to carry out the testing and/or inspections according to the work plan.
· Monitor contractors and HGL/EL staff to ensure the required testing/inspections have been carried out.
· Liaise with tenants, HGL/EL staff, long leaseholders, freeholders and contractors to arrange the access required for testing/inspections to be carried out within the required time periods communicate effectively and professionally.
· build strong relationships with colleagues in HGL/EL and across Enfield Council
· build strong relationships with contractors and tenants.
· take ownership of external stakeholder communication with contractors, leaseholders, freeholders and tenants. Minute meetings and maintain action logs where required.
· Draft letters to tenants and leaseholders/freeholders.
· Undertake any other administrative duties required by HGL management.
· Work with tenants to ensure they provide access when required.
· Arrange for injunctions to be obtained and coordinate forced entries where tenants consistently refuse to provide access without good reason.
Essential Experience Required:
· We are looking for a proactive person who will be responsible for ensuring all properties within the Housing Gateway Ltd. (HGL) and Enfield Let (EL) portfolios (the portfolios) have all statutory certificates and licences.
· The Compliance & Monitoring Officer (CMO) will be expected to liaise with contractors, tenants and freeholders to arrange the testing and inspections required to ensure properties within the portfolios meet all statutory obligations and local property licencing conditions.
· The CMO’s principal areas of responsibility are initially anticipated to be as follows but additional areas may be added/replaced over time and the list should not be considered exhaustive:
· Electrical Safety Testing / Gas Safety Testing / PAT Testing / Fire Safety Testing / Property Inspections / Renewing landlord heating maintenance contracts / Renewal of EPCs / Water safety testing / Asbestos surveys / Obtaining and renewing landlord licence.
Additional information to note:
· The successful candidate may be required to attend evening meetings as and when required. Advance notice of evening meetings will be provided where possible but cannot always be guaranteed.
The closing date for this position is Friday 26/04/2024.