Job Description

Job Category: Customer Service
:
Job Title: Lettings Officer
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: 26,153.96 Per Annum (28,739.52 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, Hybrid
Location: Liverpool
If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.
Please note that whilst we will accept applications on the basis of any form of valid legal permission to work in the UK, we will be surrendering the Riverside Sponsorship licence, so for the avoidance of doubt, we are unable to apply for any further sponsorships whether on behalf of existing colleagues or candidates.
The difference you will make as a Lettings Officer
Deliver a quality lettings service for social housing, working closely with colleagues from Asset Services, Empty Homes Repairs Delivery teams and Housing Services to ensure that homes are let quickly and appropriately, at the required standard, minimising rent lost through empty homes.
Role model Our Riverside Way values, and work closely with other teams to ensure that services meet our aspirations, and that our customers trust us to deliver on our commitments. Drive the continuous improvement of the customer experience, while relentlessly reducing waste and improving value.
About you
We are looking for someone with:

• Demonstrable commitment to Our Riverside Way values.
• Proven ability to show initiative, take ownership of tasks and successfully resolve customer queries.
• A strong customer focus, with excellent written and verbal communication skills. o Experi-ence of working in lettings.

Why Riverside?
At Riverside, we're a housing association with a difference - enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we've been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.
We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.
Working with us, you'll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:
We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.
Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to be considered
Role Profile

• Deliver end to end management of empty homes, from the point that notice is received (or handover date is received), to the creation of the new tenancy on the housing man-agement system. Work collaboratively with colleagues in Asset Services and Housing Ser-vices to ensure that properties are let as quickly as possible, to the required standard.
• Manage notice periods, advising customers of their responsibilities, securing a forwarding address and making arrangements for any arrears to be paid, making arrangements for no-tice inspections and viewings.
• Manage customer housing applications where Choice-Based Lettings (CBL) and Common Housing Register (CHR) partnership delegate this responsibility to housing providers.
• Advertise and allocate properties in line with lettings policies and strategies, using CBL and CHR partnerships, local nomination arrangements and online advertising as appropriate, ensuring that photographs and information provided about the property are an acceptable quality.
• Carry out appropriate pre-tenancy checks, including an income and expenditure check, to support customers to ensure that they are able to afford the property and referring on for specialist support as appropriate. Take initial rent payments in line with our 'Rent when due' approach, and agree and set up payment plans. Support with on-boarding new cus-tomers through the Digital Tenancy Sign Up portal.
• Make appointments as necessary for viewings, sign ups, turn on and tests, liaising with col-leagues in other teams.
• Maintain accurate customer records, preparing sign up documentation and creating tenan-cies in the housing management system, and accurate void management records to ensure that reporting is correct, up to date and reliable. Complete and upload the CORE form for all lettings.
• Establish a positive relationship with new customers, acting as the key point of contact until they have successfully moved in, answering questions and resolving issues to drive high levels of satisfaction with the lettings process.
• Ensure compliance with Group requirements in Health & Safety, Safeguarding, Equality & Diversity and Data Protection

Other Duties
Additional Information

• The Group has offices across the UK and on this basis, there may be the requirement to travel to other locations to effectively perform this role, albeit that regular support will be required to teams in Camden and Dartford
• The role will be exposed to sensitive information; therefore, the role holder is expected to main-tain levels of confidentiality at all times.
• In order to fulfil the requirements of this role, you will be required to work flexibly during the hours of operation.
• The role holder is expected to be committed to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.

Person specification
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential

• Demonstrable commitment to Our Riverside Way values.
• Proven ability to show initiative, take ownership of tasks and successfully resolve customer queries.
• A strong customer focus, with excellent written and verbal communication skills. o Experi-ence of working in lettings.
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure, deliver to strict dead-lines and manage conflicting priorities.
• Proactive approach, able to work flexibly and adapt to changing situations, and to support colleagues to do the same.

Desirable

• Competence in using Open Housing and Salesforce, or CX (Microsoft Dynamics) and CE.

About Us:
Riverside is one of the UK's leading not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.

Skills Required