Allocation Officer

These roles will play a key role in the effective operation of the Council’s housing register and allocations process.

You will provide professional, customer‑focused support to applicants, partner organisations and internal teams, ensuring that Council and Registered Provider (RSL) properties are allocated fairly, transparently and in accordance with the Council’s Lettings Policy, housing legislation and best practice.

These are varied and demanding roles requiring strong judgement, attention to detail and the ability to deal sensitively with people seeking housing advice.

You will be responsible for responding to a wide range of enquiries from housing applicants and partner organisations by telephone, email and in person, providing clear, accurate and realistic housing advice, along with:

Processing, assessing and reviewing housing register applications through Kent Homechoice, including investigation of medical, financial and personal circumstances and allocation of banding priority
Making decisions on banding changes, downgraded priority and ineligibility in line with legislation and Council policy
Advertising and allocating Council and RSL properties through the Choice Based Lettings scheme
Preparing offer letters and tenancy sign‑up documentation, including homeless direct offers
Carrying out assessments of medical priority and undertaking unannounced verification visits where required
Maintaining accurate and up‑to‑date records on housing IT systems, ensuring all communications are recorded appropriately
Assisting with mutual exchange applications via Homeswapper and ExchangeLocata
Monitoring void turnaround times, Move On nominations, management moves and policy quota allocations

To thrive in this role it is essential that you have experience working directly with customers in a demanding, customer‑focused environment, along with having:

Ability to manage a high workload, prioritise effectively and meet deadlines
Strong ICT skills, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
Good interviewing, assessment and decision‑making skills
Ability to work confidently both as part of a team and on your own initiative

Click to view a Job Description

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Kay.Devereaux, Senior Allocation Officer on 01233 330425

When Applying - Please ensure that you have received confirmation of a submitted application once completed. For any assistance in completing the application form, please email recruitment@ashford.gov.uk

Hybrid Working - We are an organisation that puts people first and understands how important employee wellbeing is. We want to help you to balance your working life and home life and offer flexible ways of working to help structure your life in a positive and productive way; both at home and in the office. This maximises personal development and collaborative working. Competitive remuneration package - We offer an excellent salary linked pension scheme, generous annual leave with flexi time, free life insurance, supportive relocation package and opportunities for training and development.

With devolution news and talks evolving across the country for local authorities, we understand that there may be some uncertainty for those currently serving within the sector. Although Kent and Medway have not been included in the Devolution Priority Programme, discussions continue in this area. Kent, Medway and all District and Borough Councils in the South East will continue to work closely with each other to deliver vital services to our communities. This is an exciting, but stable time to join our organisation.

Ashford Borough Council recognises the need to ensure the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults when they come into contact with the services we provide

We welcome applications form the Armed Forces Community