Private Sector Housing Officer (Career Graded)

• Private_Sector_Housing_Officer_-_Candidate_Pack
• Private_Sector_Housing_Officer_-_Career_Grading

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Do not send your CV – only fully completed application forms will be accepted

Dartford Housing Services really values the contribution our staff make and in return, we offer the opportunity to ‘make a difference’ and go home at the end of the day with a feeling of accomplishment.

An exciting vacancy has arisen for a Private Sector Housing Officer. The Private Sector Housing Team’s role is to improve the standard of private sector properties through grant assistance, enforcement action, education and advice. The types of properties we deal with include HMOs, single dwellings, empty properties, blocks of flats and caravans. This is a sector where substantial changes in legislation are taking place, including the Renters Rights Act, to transform the experience of privately renting and to provide tenants in poor quality housing with enhanced protection. There has never been a more exciting time to join Dartford Borough Council.

The postholder will work effectively as part of the team to deliver an excellent private sector housing service. Whether you are an experienced Private Sector Housing Officer, building on previous housing, surveying or Environmental Health experience or bringing strong transferable skills to a new challenge, this role offers the chance to make a real positive impact and develop within a career graded position.

As this is a career graded post, recruitment and starting salary will be in accordance with the key aspects outlined in the development plan attached to the Candidate Pack. A career graded post requires the post holder to satisfy the minimum standards required to do the job when they are appointed. The post holder will undertake on the job training as well as attending professionally run training sessions as required. This will enable officers to develop the key skills and abilities to become a competent Private Sector Housing Officer, able to undertake the full duties of the post.

Minimum requirements include:

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs Grade 9 to 4 (or equivalent) inc Maths & English Lang AND educated to A Level standard or equivalent or have relevant experience.
• Experience of working in Private Sector Housing /Housing environment or Environmental Health or enforcement or property surveying or private rental or equivalent. OR Level 6 Qualification in related field e.g., Housing, Environmental Health, Property Management, Building Maintenance, Construction, surveying
• Some knowledge of relevant legislation/current trends and/or impacts of poor housing particularly relating to the private rented sector is essential
• Some basic awareness of building construction/maintenance/defects including damp and mould is essential
• Ability to carry out site visits
• Full clean driving licence and use of a car (Business use insurance will be required for this post)
• This role requires an enhanced DBS check

This is a generic post, and your duties may include both proactive and reactive work including some or all of the following; Investigation of complaints regarding housing disrepair, including relating to damp and mould, in line with council policies and procedures, using the HHSRS and where necessary take enforcement action. Inspection, licensing and enforcement of caravan sites in line with council policies and procedures Inspection, licensing and enforcement of HMOs in line with council policies and procedures. Enforcement of all relevant legislation/policies including Housing Act 2004, Housing & Planning Act 2016, The Mobile Homes Act 2013, The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (as amended), The Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (as amended), The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, Renters Rights Act 2025 and Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023

You must be able to demonstrate the following:

• Excellent IT skills - able to use all standard office packages and databases
• Good written skills including composing emails, letters and reports
• Excellent numeracy and verbal skills including face to face and on telephone
• Able to deal with challenging behaviour
• Able to interpret and apply complex laws/regulations
• Must have adaptable and flexible attitude to work requirements and problem solving
• Ability to manage own workload , use own initiative to solve problems and work independently
• Ability to interpret and draw basic floor plans
• Highly conscious and aware of confidentiality and integrity with the ability to manage and interpret sensitive and confidential
• A willingness to learn and undertake training
• Ability to produce accurate records, documents and standard legal notices using proforma documents
• Good customer care skills;
• The ability to discuss sensitive issues with our customers calmly;

Dartford Housing Services really values the contribution our staff make and in return, we offer the opportunity to ‘make a difference’ and go home at the end of the day with a feeling of accomplishment. An exciting vacancy has arisen for a Private Sector Housing Officer. The Private Sector Housing Team’s role is to improve the standard of private sector properties through grant assistance, enforcement action, education and advice. The types of properties we deal with include HMOs, single dwellings, empty properties, blocks of flats and caravans. This is a sector where substantial changes in legislation are taking place, including the Renters Rights Act, to transform the experience of privately renting and to provide tenants in poor quality housing with enhanced protection. There has never been a more exciting time to join Dartford Borough Council.

The postholder will work effectively as part of the team to deliver an excellent private sector housing service. Whether you are an experienced Private Sector Housing Officer, building on previous housing, surveying or Environmental Health experience or bringing strong transferable skills to a new challenge, this role offers the chance to make a real positive impact and develop within a career graded position.

As this is a career graded post, recruitment and starting salary will be in accordance with the key aspects outlined in the development plan attached to the job description. A career graded post requires the post holder to satisfy the minimum standards required to do the job when they are appointed. The post holder will undertake on the job training as well as attending professionally run training sessions as required. This will enable officers to develop the key skills and abilities to become a competent Private Sector Housing Officer, able to undertake the full duties of the post.

Minimum requirements include:

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs Grade 9 to 4 (or equivalent) inc Maths & English Lang AND educated to A Level standard or equivalent or have relevant experience.
• Experience of working in Private Sector Housing /Housing environment or Environmental Health or enforcement or property surveying or private rental or equivalent. OR Level 6 Qualification in related field e.g., Housing, Environmental Health, Property Management, Building Maintenance, Construction, surveying
• Some knowledge of relevant legislation/current trends and/or impacts of poor housing particularly relating to the private rented sector is essential
• Some basic awareness of building construction/maintenance/defects including damp and mould is essential
• Ability to carry out site visits
• Full clean driving licence and use of a car ( Business use insurance will be required for this post)
• This role requires a standard DBS check

This is a generic post, and your duties may include both proactive and reactive work including some or all of the following; Investigation of complaints regarding housing disrepair, including relating to damp and mould, in line with council policies and procedures, using the HHSRS and where necessary take enforcement action. Inspection, licensing and enforcement of caravan sites in line with council policies and procedures Inspection, licensing and enforcement of HMOs in line with council policies and procedures. Enforcement of all relevant legislation/policies including Housing Act 2004, Housing & Planning Act 2016, The Mobile Homes Act 2013, The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (as amended), The Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (as amended), The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, Renters Rights Act 2025 and Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023

You must be able to demonstrate the following:

· Excellent IT skills - able to use all standard office packages and databases

· Good written skills including composing emails, letters and reports

· Excellent numeracy and verbal skills including face to face and on telephone

· Able to deal with challenging behaviour

· Able to interpret and apply complex laws/regulations

· Must have adaptable and flexible attitude to work requirements and problem solving

· Ability to manage own workload , use own initiative to solve problems and work independently

· Ability to interpret and draw basic floor plans

· Highly conscious and aware of confidentiality and integrity with the ability to manage and interpret sensitive and confidential information.

· A willingness to learn and undertake training

· Ability to produce accurate records, documents and standard legal notices using proforma documents

· Good customer care skills;

· The ability to discuss sensitive issues with our customers calmly;

This post is considered by DBC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements.