Housing Officer
Watford Community Housing
Salary: £35,000 - £40,000 - 37 hours per week
The Vacancy
As part of our Housing team, you will use your customer service and problem-solving skills to help us deliver high-quality housing services.
Introduction to the role
You will have previous experience of working as a Housing Officer and be confident in a customer-facing position. You will need to be able to demonstrate both excellent customer service and problem-solving skills and be highly numerate to conduct rent analysis. You will also have a proven track record in building strong relationships
The right candidate will need the ability to develop strong relationships with our tenants, be able to confidently communicate and be able to conduct rent analysis accordingly. At Watford Community Housing, an important aspect of the Housing Officer role is to manage rent arrears, and this is one of our corporate objectives, so we are therefore looking for someone with strong skills in this area.
Role purpose
To provide tenancy and neighbourhood management services for a specified area, ensuring that services are customer focussed.
What's the role?
Key Accountabilities:
* Manage tenancies effectively, assessing household needs and signposting residents to appropriate support.
* Review tenant circumstances regularly and advise on suitable future housing options.
* Oversee mixedtenure patches, ensuring compliance with policies for leaseholders, shared owners and managing agents.
* Represent the organisation at court and external meetings, acting as a key liaison with community stakeholders and resident groups.
* Prepare and present court documentation to support legal action when required.
* Work collaboratively across teams to deliver a seamless, customerfocused housing service.
* Reduce rent and servicecharge arrears through proactive income management.
* Manage antisocial behaviour cases and tenancy/lease breaches, working with internal and external partners.
* Monitor estate services, carry out regular estate and fire safety inspections, and ensure repairs or issues are resolved promptly.
* Support void management to ensure properties are relet quickly and safely.
* Lead on safeguarding signposting, tenancy reviews, fraud prevention audits, and manage mutual exchanges, assignments and successions.
* Participate in duty rota and emergency response, support councillor enquiries, and monitor CCTV to address ASB, flytipping and related issues.
What are we looking for?
Essential:
* Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
* Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
* Excellent time management and organisational skills
* Excellent IT skills with the ability to use Housing Management software
* Ability to input data into systems accurately
* Proven debt management experience
* Experience of dealing with people in difficult, often stressful, situations
* Experience of tenancy and neighbourhood management
* Knowledge of relevant Housing legislation
* Due to the nature of the role, you will need to have a full driving licence and access to a car with business insurance.
Desirable:
* Good level of general education or relevant experience
* CIH recognised qualification
* Upholds the CIH professionalism standards and demonstrates a commitment to champion the role housing professionals play in making a difference to the residents and communities they work with
View full Job Description HERE
Who you'll work with
* Responsible to: Area Housing Manager
* Department: Housing Team
Our values
* Professional - We are honest, open and respectful. People trust us to keep our promises.
* Forward-thinking - We have a can-do attitude and embrace opportunities to improve and innovate.
* Collaborative - We work together as one team and build lasting partnerships to get results.
What can we offer you?
* 28 days' annual leave (pro rata)
* Employer pension contribution of up to 11%
* Development opportunities
* Comprehensive employee rewards scheme
How we work
We embrace agile working - blending time in our communities, shared spaces, and remote working. With digital technology at the heart of our approach, we empower teams and individuals to work flexibly.
How to apply
If this sounds like your next role, click 'apply now', tell us why you've got what it takes, and attach a copy of your current CV.
Closing date: 11th February 2026
Interviews: week commencing 16th February 2026
(Please note we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a large response.)