Income Officer
What the Job Will be doing
* Managing a caseload of current and former tenant rent accounts, ensuring income is maximised and arrears are minimised
* Monitoring rent accounts and taking early intervention action to prevent arrears from escalating
* Contacting residents through telephone calls, home visits, letters, emails and interviews to recover outstanding debt
* Negotiating realistic repayment arrangements and monitoring ongoing compliance
* Preparing and progressing arrears cases for legal action where appropriate
* Managing garage rent accounts and associated arrears recovery activity
* Providing residents with advice and support relating to rent payments, budgeting, debt management and welfare benefits
* Assisting residents with Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments and other financial support schemes
* Identifying vulnerable residents and working with support agencies to sustain tenancies and prevent evictions
* Conducting home visits and delivering a resident-focused service that promotes positive outcomes
* Working collaboratively with Housing Officers, Customer Service teams and external agencies to resolve complex cases
* Meeting income collection targets and contributing to service improvement initiatives
* Ensuring all activity complies with housing legislation, data protection requirements and organisational policies
What You Will Need
* Experience of rent arrears recovery within a Housing Association, Local Authority or TMO environment
* Experience managing a caseload and achieving collection targets
* Strong negotiation skills and experience agreeing repayment arrangements with residents
* Knowledge of Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and financial inclusion principles
* Understanding of tenancy sustainment and social housing practices
* Experience conducting home visits and managing challenging conversations
* Knowledge of legal remedies available for debt recovery
* Excellent customer service and communication skills
* Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities effectively