Job Details
PRIMARY JOB FUNCTION
Leasehold officers are responsible for:
- collecting service charges (annual and major works), building insurance, ground
rent, shared ownership rent and ad hoc recharges across a residential and
commercial property portfolio; - providing a front-line leasehold management service including processing legal
notices and applications for alterations, sales, subletting, re-mortgages etc; and - investigating and resolving breach of lease cases.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provide a comprehensive arrears service on a patch basis or other designated area
in accordance with Islington Council’s policies and procedures. This includes
carrying out all functions relating to the control and monitoring of arrears (for
example, negotiating payments and taking recovery action, including legal action in
the County Court or First Tier Tribunal) ensuring that targets and timescales are
met.
2. Provide general advice to leaseholders about benefits entitlement and identify
suitable cases for referral to the debt advice service provider.
3. Ensure that legal recovery action is co-ordinated in cases where there is both
annual and major works service charge debt on accounts.
4. Make payment arrangements with leaseholders to clear their arrears in line with
procedures.
5. Investigate and respond within target timescales to correspondence, queries,
disputes and complaints relating to the quality and extent of services and work
recharged to leaseholders/freeholders, and on the calculation, apportionment and
collection of charges where these impact on collection, liaising with the relevant
Home Ownership teams and council departments as appropriate.
6. Identify and refer complex or exceptional cases to the appropriate Team Leader or
Leasehold Services Manager.
7. Assist in the preparation of and give evidence/witness statements as required in
County Court and First Tier Tribunal cases.
8. Prepare regular performance information and casework summaries on own arrears
recovery activity, as necessary.
Pay rate: £26.96 per hour umbrella
Three to six months contract with view to extend or make permanent