Housing Solutions Officer – AR

Job Details

Housing Solutions Officer

Location: Wales
Service: Housing Solutions & Prevention
Employment Type: Temporary/Interim

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Housing Solutions Officer to join a Housing Solutions & Prevention Service.

You will provide frontline housing advice and homelessness prevention services to households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. You will assess individual circumstances, develop Personal Housing Plans, explore appropriate housing options and work proactively to prevent or relieve homelessness.

The successful candidate must have practical experience working in homelessness under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, including experience of making statutory decisions in accordance with the Council’s legal duties.

Key Responsibilities

  • Assess homelessness applications and determine the appropriate statutory duties owed by the Council.
  • Apply the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, including the Section 66 Prevention Duty, Section 73 Relief Duty and Section 75 Final Duty.
  • Provide housing advice and practical support to households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
  • Conduct detailed homelessness interviews and investigations, gathering information from applicants and relevant third parties.
  • Develop and manage Personal Housing Plans with applicants.
  • Provide realistic advice on housing options, eligibility and rehousing prospects.
  • Take proactive action to prevent homelessness and help households sustain suitable accommodation.
  • Negotiate with landlords, family members and other parties to prevent accommodation loss.
  • Promote suitable private rented sector accommodation as an alternative housing option.
  • Manage a caseload effectively, ensuring cases are progressed within statutory timescales.
  • Make well-reasoned statutory homelessness decisions and prepare clear, legally compliant decision letters.
  • Explain decisions to applicants, including their rights to request a review.
  • Identify when temporary or emergency accommodation is required and arrange appropriate placements.
  • Assess whether statutory duties have ended where circumstances change or accommodation is lost.
  • Consider relevant medical, social and safeguarding information when assessing cases.
  • Identify potential fraud or misrepresentation and escalate concerns appropriately.
  • Make appropriate safeguarding referrals to Social Services, Police and other agencies where required.
  • Maintain accurate and comprehensive case records, including recording casework and outcomes on Abritas.
  • Work closely with Children’s Services, Supporting People, Probation, Prison Services, hospitals and voluntary organisations.
  • Undertake home visits and outreach work where required.
  • Support applicants with Common Housing Register applications and provide advice regarding their rehousing prospects.
  • Participate in the housing duty rota and respond to customer enquiries promptly.
  • Work towards reducing homelessness and minimising the use of temporary accommodation and bed and breakfast placements.

Essential Experience

The successful candidate must have:

  • Substantial practical experience working within homelessness/housing solutions.
  • Experience working under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.
  • Experience undertaking homelessness assessments and investigations.
  • Experience making statutory homelessness decisions.
  • Knowledge and practical application of Section 66, Section 73 and Section 75 duties.
  • Experience producing clear and legally compliant homelessness decision letters.
  • Experience managing a busy homelessness caseload.
  • Knowledge of relevant housing legislation, case law and private sector tenancy legislation.
  • Experience of homelessness prevention and tenancy sustainment.
  • Experience working with vulnerable households and complex cases.
  • Strong communication, negotiation and customer service skills.
  • Ability to make sound decisions within a statutory and legal framework.

Desirable Experience

  • Previous experience within a Welsh local authority.
  • Experience using Abritas.
  • Experience arranging and managing temporary accommodation.
  • Experience working with private landlords and private rented sector accommodation.
  • Experience working with safeguarding, Social Services, Probation or other support agencies.
  • Knowledge of relevant case law relating to homelessness and housing legislation.

Personal Qualities

We are looking for someone who is:

  • Empathetic and customer-focused.
  • Confident making difficult statutory decisions.
  • Highly organised and able to manage a demanding caseload.
  • Resilient and comfortable working in a fast-paced frontline environment.
  • Strong at investigating information and analysing complex circumstances.
  • Able to communicate complex legislation clearly to customers.
  • Collaborative and confident working with partner agencies.
  • Committed to preventing homelessness and achieving sustainable housing outcomes.

Important Requirement

Candidates must have genuine homelessness experience and practical experience applying the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

Candidates whose experience is limited to general housing management, allocations or tenancy management without statutory homelessness casework and decision-making experience are unlikely to be suitable for this position.