Housing Advisor

Do you have experience of providing an effective housing advice and homeless service to members of the public?

Do you want to make a difference to your local community?

If so, we want to hear from you!

We are working with Bristol City Council to recruit a Housing Advisor to work with single people and families that are homeless or threatened with homelessness under the homelessness legislation.

Knowledge of current housing legislation is required plus excellent communication skills.

Purpose of the job:

• Provide a service to citizens to prevent and relieve homelessness in a timely manner.
• Investigate and assess applications from citizens that are homeless or at risk of homelessness to decide on and fulfil the council's statutory duties.
• To co-ordinate and have responsibility for a caseload of people in housing need and work with them to resolve their housing difficulties.
• Promote a wide range of housing options as alternatives to the use of temporary accommodation for homeless households.
• Secure appropriate accommodation and support services for citizens in housing need.
• Providing advice to landlords and tenant regarding statutory rights.
• To be proactive in promoting joint working in a multi-agency environment.

Key job outcomes/accountabilities:

• To investigate and assess the needs of citizens that present to the service as homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• To provide authoritative advice and information on homelessness and tenancy law.
• To promote a range of housing initiatives and options to prevent and relieve homelessness.
• To prevent homelessness by mediation and conciliation.
• To maintain and proactively work with a caseload of citizens that may be in housing need.
• To undertake the role of lead professional as appropriate, co-ordinating input from other agencies to ensure positive outcomes are achieved.
• To maintain responsibility for updating information including personalised housing plans, written and computer records.
• The operation of Housing Options including Home Choice Bristol and other services (both within BCC and external), procedures and policies.To enable all parties to comply with their obligations and to exercise their rights in providing and securing appropriate accommodation.
• To manage a caseload of users of housing options services and refer on complex cases where necessary. Apply high standards of customer service through a problem-solving approach when working with vulnerable customers, tenants, landlords and colleagues to achieve positive housing outcomes for single people and families.

Additional Information:

Appointment is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Level Disclosure check. Convictions for Schedule 1 offences or other similar offences will render the applicant unsuitable to work with vulnerable adults