DescriptionWe are seeking a Tenancy Sustainability Advisor, to join our team in Halifax. As a Tenancy Sustainability Advisor, you will be responsible for providing vital support to tenants at risk of losing their homes due to income-related issues. Your role will involve offering short-term, practical interventions to help tenants maintain their tenancies, with a focus on addressing challenges related to welfare reform, rent arrears, and financial difficulties. You will also promote the importance of responsible rent payments, helping tenants manage their finances and access relevant support services. By coordinating referrals to external agencies and services, you'll ensure tenants receive the help they need to overcome complex issues and secure long-term tenancy stability.
We are one of the largest housing associations in the North of England, managing over 38,000 homes across the North of England. We are a non-profit organisation, meaning any money we make is invested back into the company for the benefit of our residents and local communities.
As an organisation we are committed to having a Diverse and Inclusive workforce. We would therefore welcome applications from candidates with any of the nine protected characteristics. We are also proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
RequirementsRequirements
Outline of key responsibilities for the Tenancy Sustainability Advisor …
- Starter tenancies – provide advice to new tenants who have been identified as having little or no experience of living independently (as part of sustainability assessment at point of allocation) to understand the responsibilities of being a tenantand maximizing success of new tenancies. Focusing on setting up and maintaining regular rent payments, setting up utilities and associated payment arrangements, applying for benefits, grants, setting up bank accounts, accessing credit unions, budgeting to ensure rent and other essential bills are paid and signposting to low cost furniture services,
- Current tenants – using a risk-based approach, provide short term assistance to tenants who are ill-equipped to maintain the financial responsibilities relating to their tenancy. This could include ensuring understanding of being a responsible rent payer and consequences if not, assistance with budgeting to , support rent first, establishing appropriate payment methods, assistance with benefits, signposting for employment/training support
- Ensure that interventions for new and current tenants are time limited and outcome-focused, promoting self-reliance and commitment to sustaining rent payments and other tenancy related bills
- Make referrals and/or signpost to other Agencies and local services where more in-depth/specialist assistance is required with financial matters such as debt management, affordable loans through Credit Unions, Welfare to Work, employment and job-seeking support, Utility-switching companies
- Provide performance data and case information to contribute to the monitoring, evaluation and improvement of services, providing reports as required.
- To contribute to the development of procedures and processes and evaluation tools in respect of tenancy sustainability, ensuring a full cycle approach (from starter to termination).
- To acquire and maintain a full understanding of income-related and neighbourhood management policies, procedures and processes and keep abreast of the welfare reform agenda and associated impacts for our customers.
We are looking for someone who has…
- A Full UK Driving License
- Experience advising customers on income-related matters
- Excellent customer service skills, ideally worked with vulnerable customers able to be assertive, decisive and objective whilst empathetic with customers experiencing difficult and challenging personal issues
- Experience working to deadlines
- Able to work on own initiative as well as part of a team
- Detailed knowledge of the welfare reform agenda and wider external environment within which social housing providers operate
- Comprehensive understanding of reasons and underlying causes relating to arrears, financial exclusion and tenancy failure
- Knowledge of safeguarding and related agendas
- Understanding of data protection and confidentiality requirements
BenefitsIn return, we are offering the successful candidate in the Tenancy Sustainability Advisor role…
- Starting salary of £29,582 per annum - Grade 6
- Annual pay scale increase
- 27 days holiday (rising to 32 over 5 years’ service) + bank holidays
- A flexible working environment, with a range of family friendly policies
- You will be working 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday. Working arrangements are flexible in line with our Smart Working culture so that we deliver an excellent and accessible service for customers.
- Wide range of technical, professional, and personal development training opportunities
- Attractive pension scheme
- Health and wellbeing benefits including access to GPs
- A range of financial and lifestyle benefits including cycle to work, vehicle leasing and financial advice
- We have a range of staff support networks, including menopause, culturally diverse, LGBTQ+ and disability.
- To view the full range of our award winning benefits click on the Employee Benefits Link
THG reserves the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient numbers of applicants are received. Therefore, please apply without delay!
Please ensure you fully answer the questions on the application form.
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