Home Ownership Officer

Job Description

Home Ownership Collections Officer - to assist with the recovery of Service charges & Major Works costs and general Leasehold account management.Purpose To provide a front-line service in a large and complex area of work specifically in relation to the collection of rent, service charges (including major works) and other homeowner debt. Providing information, support to shared owners and leaseholders inrelation to the service charge.To deal with complex financial disputes in relation to service charges/major works.To maximise the collection of rent, service charges/major works and other sources of homeowner income to reduce the level of debt and maintain the viability of the Housing Revenue Account.Deliver a specialist aspect of service delivery, which engages customers / stakeholders and enables them to make effective use of the service.Maintain all required records and information. Analyse and interpret complex information, for input into reports.Develop specialist documents / materials / activities to support / promote the service area.Job Specific Accountabilities: Maximise, service charges, major works and other sources of home owner income ensuring the viability of the HousingRevenue Account (HRA)Make necessary financial adjustments(credits and debits) to homeowners accounts in line with policies & procedures, and maintain relevant records, e.g. direct debits, credits/debits, write offs, refunds, transferring balances etc.Deal with complex financial disputes in relation to service charges/major works in conjunction with officer with Consultation and Billing.Working with Finance Team to ensure that the tenant service charges are in line with the actual costsKnowledge, Skills and Experience Specialist knowledge of leases and key leasehold legislation, in particular Section 18 - 30 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended), and the income recovery processes and escalation procedures for recovering service charges.Knowledge of Welfare Reform and practical knowledge of debt advice and welfare benefitsAbility to understand the financial and emotional difficulties of the customers, whilst understanding the need to achieve maximum recovery for the Council.A proven track record of achieving and exceeding targets and objectives, specifically within arrears management.Ability to prioritise workloads, working to tight strict deadlines and statutory timescales in a pressurised environment, whilst always paying excellent attention to detail and keeping accurate records.Experience of calculating accurate complex calculations, in particular relation to service charges, arrears payment arrangements and major works invoicing.Excellent written communication skills including grammar, spelling, punctuation, for effective correspondence with customers, report writing and statistical work.Excellent verbal communication skills including assertiveness, listening, negotiating and influencing skills, at all levels - including face to face, telephone, presentation skills.Ability to interpret complex information, and relay in a plain English manner.Good IT Skills, including Microsoft Office especially Microsoft Word & Excel. Ability to utilise IT systems effectively and efficiently, and willingness to progress electronic databases and use IT to improve performance.Awareness of the importance of maintaining confidentiality of customer data.