Job Title Tenancy Sustainment WorkerService Doorstep Property ServicesSalary  £21, 450 pro rata £11phHours  25 hours per week, worked over 5 days  - CAN BE WORKED OVER 4 DAYS AT NEGOTIABLE HOURS.  Responsible to Doorstep Housing ManagerLocation Doorstep Centre, Pasture Street Grimsby

Job Purpose: The job of the Tenancy Sustainment Worker is to contribute to: The successful delivery of a customer focussed, ethical housing service to young peopleThe provision of safe, quality housing that meets the needs of young people and young familiesThe reduction of homelessness in North East Lincolnshire through the fair application of Doorstep’s housing policy framework

The goal of the service is to provide an efficient, responsive, compassionate, holistic housing management and tenancy sustainment service for our customers and those applying to us for housing. Services will be delivered to customers across North East Lincolnshire. _____________________________________________________________________________General Duties & Administration

• Provide administration and practical support to the housing team
• Prepare documentation relating to the property as required
• Prepare and send general tenancy related letters and arrange tenant appointments as required
• Contribute to the move on by providing information for Home Choice Lincs move-on / banding letters; and providing tenant references
• Deal with in-person enquiries and telephone calls into the housing service
• Minute housing related meetings when required
• Provide general housing reception duties if / as required
• Ensure all relevant forms, data bases are regularly kept up to date
• Undertake continuous professional development, regularly update knowledge and skills, attend internal and external training as required and participate fully in the organisation’s performance management processes
• Take steps to ensure own health and safety and the health and safety of others
• Report any incidents following Doorstep internal reporting procedures and ensuring records are kept up to date at all times
• Ensure that safeguarding concerns are appropriately reported, recorded, and followed up to conclusion; escalating concerns where necessary both within, and external to, the organisation
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the post as instructed by managers and within the post holder’s capability, or as temporary cover of staff absence
• Commit to and work in line with corporate values, ethos, policies procedures

Organisation Expectations

Continuous Professional Development and Team Presence

Members of Doorstep Property Management Service are required and expected to: 

• Have an understanding of, and engage with, the legal, policy, and theoretical frameworks that underpin their practice and the philosophies that underpin the organisation
• Undertake training and engage in practice development activities as required and in addition are expected to further their personal professional development on their own initiative and in their own time
• Work in support of one another and contribute readily to the success of the team, the service, and the wider organisation 
• Demonstrate good, open and timely communication with staff members across the organisation
• Take a lead role in specialist areas of work that impact young people for example, homelessness prevention; anti-social behaviour; tenancy law; immigration & asylum; domestic abuse; etc.

Policies, Procedures, Ethos and Values

Members of Doorstep Property Management Service are required and expected to: 

• Carry out all duties in a manner that reflects Doorstep’s values and adheres to Doorstep’s policies and procedures.
• Promote wellbeing by encouraging connection with people, places, communities, nature, supportive organisations, and the wider world. Encourage connection by being authentic, open, honest and fair.
• Treat people with kindness, compassion and empathy. Value individual differences, and give lived experience the respect it deserves. Do not judge, or suggest we know how people feel.
• Be brave and bold; do not be afraid to appropriately challenge external organisational culture in public, private, and voluntary sector services that you come into contact with. Expect and accept resistance, but be determined in securing change for young people and the greater good. 
• Be curious and keenly interested in people’s ideas and experiences; see our work as a continuous learning curve. Ask questions – and question the answers – as part of a wider social movement exploring new approaches to sustainable tenancy management and wellbeing.

[see person specification below]

Essential

Desirable

Assessed through

Experience

It is not essential to have prior experience in a property or tenancy related role. We are more interested in looking for someone who is keen and able to learn in the role

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Application/Interview

Experience of tenancy management, property management or lettings Housing; Homelessness; Property Lettings; Estate Agency; Youth work; 

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Application/Interview

Experience of trauma-informed, asset-based, working practice 

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Application/Interview

Experience of regular reporting of results

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Application/Interview

Qualifications, skills, behaviours and attitude

Qualification relevant to the work 

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Application

Ability to travel throughout North East Lincolnshire, and use of own vehicle

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Application

Excellent verbal, written and IT skills, including basic word processing, and inputting information to a database

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Application/ Skills Assessment

Strong communication, listening and interpersonal skills

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Application/ Skills Assessment / Interview

Skills in negotiating and working in solution focused ways. 

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Application/ Skills Assessment / Interview

Ability to self-motivate, and to work effectively alone and as part of a team

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Application/ Interview

Ability to manage conflict and diffuse emotive situations

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Application/ Interview

Ability to facilitate person-led outcomes

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Application/ Skills Assessment

Ability to self-reflect and manage own emotions

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Skills Assessment / Interview

Demonstrate kindness, compassion, empathy and valuing individual differences

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Skills Assessment / Interview

Knowledge and Understanding

Understanding of the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords

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Application/ Interview

Basic understanding of health & safety regulations and procedures

Application/ Interview

Understanding of housing benefit rules and application processes

Application/ Interview

Understanding of and commitment to professional boundaries

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Application/ Interview

Knowledge of basic safeguarding issues and how to be responsive to the needs of vulnerable adults

Application/ Skills Assessment / Interview

Understanding of diversity and equalities issues and a proven ability to apply this when working with individuals and communities

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Application/ Skills Assessment / Interview

Property & Void Management Assistance

• Actively promote and market empty homes in order to reduce rent loss and homelessness
• When a property becomes void: support the Housing Manager with void inspections; check for any outstanding work or planned maintenance tasks that need completing while the property is empty
• Undertake meter readings, phone them in / input online and deal with/resolve any queries with suppliers as necessary
• Prepare rooms in readiness for the new tenant i.e. make up bed (shared housing only)
• Ensure moving in welcome pack is in place before property is let

Rent & Control of Rent Arrears

• Ensure the tenant understands the rent breakdown and their contractual responsibilities to pay the rent
• Ensure that the rent is paid on time and that the tenant does not fall into arrears
• Assist tenants to reduce arrears where applicable 
• Complete HB forms / Council tax with tenants to ensure they are completed properly and received by HB to control rent arrears
• Liaise with HB and DWP to maintain HB and UC housing element claims 
• Send standard rent procedure letters on request
• Rent collection
• Follow rent arrears procedures with tenants 

Tenancy Management

• Contribute to tenancy sustainment and the reduction in the risk of abandonment by assisting the tenant where required in establishing and maintaining a home environment, 
• Explain the tenancy agreement in person, including making tenants aware of their rights and assisting them to meet their obligations
• Provide accessible materials to support the tenant’s understanding of their tenancy. This includes the preparation and facilitation of occupancy agreements; handbooks; and sign-up 
• Facilitate viewings
• Facilitate tenancy sign up at the property – including explaining how everything works in the property as part of the sign up process
• Ensure the tenant knows how to use equipment and appliances safely; providing manuals / instructions for equipment and appliances; and demonstrating use of these where necessary
• Ensure that the tenant is maintaining a safe and secure home environment and is reporting repairs when necessary, advising accordingly;
• Where required support the setting up of utilities to ensure these are available to the tenant
• Support the Housing Manager with enforcement of tenancy conditions and ensure the tenant fulfils their contractual responsibility to maintain the property to a reasonable standard. 
• Encourage tenants to adhere to rules relating to visitors and guests, cleaning of common areas (shared housing only), noise nuisance etc.
• Assist with low level anti-social behaviour issues or any other concerns our tenant may have with their home or environment 
• Deal with initial enquiries and complaints from tenants and members of the community; administering complaints and liaising with the complainant and involved parties
• Assist in the resolution of incidents and tenancy breaches to minimise the risk of eviction. 
• Work with the Housing Manager to develop and implement tenancy sustainment action plans
• Complete incident reports following Doorstep internal reporting procedures and ensuring records are kept up to date at all times
• Ensure that safeguarding concerns are appropriately reported, recorded, and followed up to conclusion; escalating concerns where necessary both within, and external to, the organisation
• Monitor CCTV to maintain security at a property
• Help tenants with internal transfers or with moving on to alternative accommodation as part of enhanced lettings process on cessation of tenancy
• Provide tenants with opportunities to provide feedback on their services.   Promoting Tenant participation and assisting tenants to participate in decisions affecting them and assist to provide feedback
• Facilitate regular resident meetings (shared housing only)
• Provide support to the tenant to help them maintain their tenancy, referring into NELC Housing Related Support Service for assessment where needs are identified that are outside of the scope of Doorstep Housing Management Service
• Work alongside the Housing Related Support provider (internal or external) where one is in place to ensure open communication and complimentary working where appropriate and within the boundaries of GDPR.