Housing Officer 1985

• Housing_Officer_1985_-_Job_Description_and_Person_Specification

Please apply online via the link provided.

Closing date: Sunday 21 December 2025
Interview date: Wednesday 7 January 2026

Please apply online via Winchester City Council's website.

The Role:

This is an exciting role within Winchester City Council’s Landlord Services team.

We are looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and enthusiastic individual to play a key role in delivering a customer focussed, high quality housing management service within our housing portfolio of 5000 general needs and sheltered housing properties.

In this role, you will be one of 6 Housing Officers responsible for delivering housing management services to our customers within a designated patch in the Winchester district. This includes supporting customers signing up for their new tenancies, managing tenancy changes and enforcement, managing complex tenancy cases and cases of nuisance and anti-social behaviour, preparing and serving legal paperwork, representing the Council at Court, making appropriate referrals to tenancy support and sustainment and providing assistance with rent arrears and estate management when required.

You will have a strong housing management background, evidenced ability to understand and meet customer needs whilst managing difficult conversations to ensure service providers are held to account for the services they provide to the vulnerable customers and communities we serve.

What You'll Need to Succeed:

It is essential that you have experience of working in housing management and can evidence your knowledge and understanding of housing law and regulatory obligations.

The role of the Housing Officer will:

• Be the point of contact for customers on the patch, ensuring they receive timely advice, guidance and support to manage their homes and sustain their tenancies.
• Provide effective management of secure and introductory tenancies for general needs and sheltered units in liaison with other Housing Officer teams (Income, Neighbourhoods Services, Tenancy Sustainment, Sheltered and Extra Care) and other Housing sections (Property Services, Rents, Allocations, Housing Options).
• Carry out sign-ups and home visits for new tenants and mutual exchanges ensuring that all rights and responsibilities of the tenancy agreement are explained and understood.
• Effectively manage requests for tenancy changes such as successions, assignments and joint to soles.
• Provide assistance to tenants wishing to downsize or mutually exchange their tenancy. Oversee the process from receipt of application, liaising with both the tenants and other landlords, through to the sign up.
• Ensure tenancies are conducted in a satisfactory manner and undertake tenancy visits to properties to ensure compliance with tenancy conditions.
• Assist with collection of tenant information for tenant records, profiling, reviewing and determining housing services.
• Ensure both the Council and tenants fulfil their obligations as set out in the Housing Acts, ASB Crime & Policing Act and the tenancy agreement.
• Pro-active management of all nuisance and anti-social behaviour (ASB) cases including neighbour nuisance, harassment, hate crime, domestic abuse, violence and illegal or immoral activity ensuring speedy resolution of issues using appropriate remedies in line with departmental policies and procedures.
• Carry out risk assessments and manage complaints of ASB from inception through to case closure, ensuring all stages of case management are accurately recorded on the Orchard Housing System. Where escalation is required, work proactively with the ASB Officer to enable timely case reviews, handover and escalation.
• Understand working practices of other organisations, for example Premises Closures and Community Protection Notices, and work alongside the ASB Officer in partnership with the Police to gather evidence to take appropriate action in such cases.
• To maintain up to date knowledge of current relevant legislation (civil and criminal) and best practice in relation to anti-social behaviour and tenancy breaches.
• Carry out interviews and prepare with accuracy notices, statements and other paperwork required for Court hearings, attending Court as necessary and giving evidence in support of possession proceeding when required.
• Ensure that tenants who have difficulties sustaining their tenancies and/or paying their rent are offered appropriate advice, support and assistance.
• Work closely with housing colleagues, the CAB, Social Services, Health and other specialist agencies to support vulnerable tenants to sustain their tenancies.
• Proactively promote, facilitate and support tenant involvement.
• Undertake a landlord liaison role with tenant groups, events and meetings providing information on all aspects of housing management services when required.

Qualification requirements for the role:

• Professional Diploma in Housing or equivalent through relevant training/experience.
• Current full Driving Licence.

We offer an excellent package of benefits including:

• Hybrid-working (50% in the office, 50% at home – after first 3 weeks in office)
• Employer paid health cash plan
• Salary sacrifice scheme for cars and bikes
• 26 days annual leave per year rising to 33 days - dependent on length of service
• 13 days additional flexi leave per year (subject to operational requirements)
• Option to buy up to 5 days additional annual leave
• Free parking (during work hours) at any Winchester Park and Ride
• Membership to the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Discounts at a range of major high street brands and the two leisure centres in the district
• Season Ticket loans
• Excellent working environment
• Support for continuous professional development

If you are keen to make a difference in our communities, we would love to hear from you. Apply today to be part of a team making a difference to our customers every day.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Jo Elliott, Area Housing Manager (Neighbourhood and Community) via email at jelliott@winchester.go.uk or Sarah Turpitt, Area Housing Manager (Sheltered and Extra Care) via email at sturpitt@winchester.gov.uk.