Former Tenant Arrears Officer
Leeds Federated Housing Association
Leeds Federated is a housing association with around 4,500 properties across Leeds, Wakefield and North Yorkshire. Our mission is to enable the maximum number of people to access and live sustainably in good value, affordable housing.
This is an exciting opportunity for a Former Tenant Arrears Officer to join our Income team, to be part of the delivery of a quality, supportive Income Collection Service.
Your main responsibilities will include:
- Minimising former tenant arrears of rent and other charges through consistent application of our policies
- Contributing to the effective running of the Income Team and participating in a culture of continuous improvement
- Working with colleagues to support and encourage high levels of performance.
Our ideal candidate will:
- Be a strong communicator who can liaise effectively at all levels.
- Have experience of dealing with debtors and negotiating affordable repayment plans
- Have a flexible and innovative approach
In return:
As well as a competitive salary we can offer you:
- Agile working environment
- 30 days annual leave
- DC pension schemes
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Health cash plan
This role will be based full time at the Leeds Federated main office (The Tannery, LS3 1HS) before moving to a hybrid approach.
The closing date for this role is: Midnight on Sunday 31st March 2024
Interviews will take place on: Thursday 11th April (in person) at the main office.
We reserve the right to close this recruitment if it is deemed that we have received a suitable number of applications. On this basis we would advise that applications are submitted as soon as possible.
MAIN PURPOSE:
The Former Tenant Arrears Officer is responsible for operating the former tenant arrears policy across a group of neighbourhood officer patches, working proactively to maximise the recovery of arrears from former tenants. The role also provides advice and assistance to customers on areas relating to income recovery.
The Former Tenant Arrears Officer liaises effectively with the Income Service and Neighbourhood Officers to ensure that communication with customers in relation to arrears and other debts is timely and effective. The role also provides assistance to the Financial Inclusion Officers to ensure customers have access to the best debt advice and support to reduce arrears with Leeds Federated and 3rd parties.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
1
- Minimises former tenant arrears of rent and other charges through consistent application of the Association’s policies Primarily monitor Former Tenant Arrears to ensure payments are maintained and action is taken to increase income from former customers
- Monitors Sundry debts and credit accounts to ensure appropriate action is taken
- Works in partnership with Neighbourhood Officers, Income Services Team and other customer facing colleagues to minimise rent and service charge debt, and maximise the collection of rent and other charges
- Advises customers on our former tenant arrears policy and actions that they can take to avoid escalation
- Use innovative techniques to trace former tenants to recover outstanding arrears and other debts
- Priority is given to arranging affordable payment agreements with customers prior to their tenancy coming to an end
- Follows policies and procedures accurately including write offs on accounts where appropriate
- Agrees and monitors viable and affordable agreements with former customers in arrears and takes action where appropriate
2
- Supports the financial wellbeing of customers and maximises the Association’s income through effective preventative activity and communication with customers
- Maintains detailed knowledge of the Association’s financial inclusion activity (including affordable warmth and digital inclusion), provides advice to customers and ensures customers benefit from any new initiatives
- Provides support to deliver Income Services functions such as offering debt and budget advice as well as other Financial Inclusion activity
- To provide support to Income Services Team to ensure Current Tenant Arrears are minimised as required Liaises proactively with customers in arrears, offering support and guidance to help resolve matters at an early stage.
- Maintains a good working knowledge of welfare benefits, and is able to advise customers accordingly
3
- Delivers excellent customer service and achieves high levels of customer satisfaction
- Provides a professional, helpful and responsive service to customers, achieving high levels of customer satisfaction
- Works in accordance with the Association’s values and ethics, supporting and promoting the organisation’s reputation Proactively builds relationships with customers in order to understand their circumstances.
- Ensures services are delivered in a way that recognises individual needs
- Works as part of a wider team handling customer enquiries received by telephone, online, in person and through other media
- Participates as required in customer service duty systems, handling customer enquiries to a high standard of quality in accordance with defined procedures
- Takes ownership of all customer enquiries received, and progresses work as far as necessary to resolve
- Takes active steps to work with customers to resolve complaints at an early stage, avoiding the need for formal investigation where this is possible and appropriate.
- Ensure procedures are followed accurately and consistently in the provision of services to customers
- Information relating to customers maintained confidentially.
4
- To contribute to the effective running of the Customer Service Team and to participate in a culture of continuous improvement
- Works with colleagues to support and encourage high levels of performance
- Makes recommendations for change to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of services
- Participates in service reviews and other service development activity and works to implement recommendations.
- Contributes to policy formulation
- Completes allocated project work as required
- Provides regular reports on own performance, identifying and investigating opportunities for improvement
- Takes an active role in own personal and professional development, evidencing learning and improvement
5 Corporate Role:
- To consistently meet the organisations strengths in your day to day work
- To work within the organisation’s Health and Safety policies and procedures taking personal responsibility for your own wellbeing
- To work within the VFM policy and consider wider business sense in all aspects of your role
- Provide and maintain excellent standards of customer care in accordance with the organisation’s Equality and Diversity policy
- To work within the culture and values of the organisation and positively promote the reputation of Leeds Fed at external events and meetings
- To positively contribute to Leeds Fed’s journey ensuring the development of continuous improvement across the organisation
- To be responsible for your own learning and development and actively participate in identified training and engage with the performance management system
- Communicate effectively and work productively with all staff
- Carry out a regular check of the website and intranet particularly in relation to your own areas of the business.
- Take responsibility for making sure that information logged is up to date and relevant.
- Work within the Risk Management Framework Policy ensuring that you are aware of, and support the operation of internal controls relevant to your area of responsibility.
Click here for further information
