Job Title: Housing Assistant

Department: Housing Management

Place of Work: Alvington HQ, Yeovil

Grade: Grade 3

Car Allowance: Occasional User

Responsible To: Area Housing Manager

Has Reporting to Him/Her: No-one

Limits of Authority:

Financial - None
Disciplinary - None

Organisational Relationships: The Housing Assistant is accountable to the Housing Manager for his/her performance and to the Company for the provision of the services for which he/she is responsible.

The Housing Assistant will be expected to work closely with members of the Housing Team. In addition the Housing Assistant will be expected to work with staff within other departments of the Company and outside agencies.

Objective: To work within the Company’s strategy, culture, procedures and processes to meet the Company’s objectives. The Housing Assistant will be expected to offer a customer focused service and contribute as a member of the Housing Team in the delivery of effective and efficient services.

Job Purpose: The Housing Assistant is responsible for the provision of advice to the public and administrative support to housing staff. The duties and responsibilities below outline the general duties of the postholder but they will also be responsible for specific areas of work.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. To acquire knowledge of the housing stock, tenants and facilities and act as a focus for housing enquiries.

2. To ensure that customer enquiries and requests received by telephone/fax or in person are dealt with efficiently and sympathetically, at the first point of contact and to follow up the contact and organise where appropriate.

3. To type standard letters, correspondence, reports, agendas and minutes from written notes, audio, or composition.

4. To provide clerical support for housing management. In particular prepare documentation in order that scheduled estate visits and management blitzes are successfully completed by Housing Officers and to collate statistical information received as a result.

5. To process incoming and outgoing mail for housing management, and to accurately log information through a computer based system.

6. To assist in the establishment and maintenance of an information database and to collect information, prepare statistics and monitor customer satisfaction.

7. To liaise with South Somerset Works in relation to repair enquiries and when necessary report details of repairs following estate management blitz and post tenancy visits

8. To process orders onto the Purchase Order and Commitment Accounting system - checking all details are correct.

9. To liaise with finance to validate payment for services and check that new build property services are set up correctly to ensure that bills reflect actual meter readings.

10. To schedule appointment for Housing Officers for sign ups, accompanied viewings, pre-void visits and joint development visits.

11. To ensure estate management queries, complaints and permissions are dealt with and resolved as appropriate.

General

1. To work in accordance with the Company’s customer care, conservation and environmental policies and to promote South Somerset Homes' good name and effective working relationships with outside organisations.

2. To provide cover in the absence of other Housing Team members.

3. Any other duties as required by the Housing Manager.

Health and Safety at Work

South Somerset Home’s Policy, Organisation and Arrangement Document, together with all relevant Health and Safety at Work Instructions, are to be considered as part of this job description.

Equal Opportunities

Employees shall not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, nationality, disability or age and shall seek to eliminate such discrimination by others to promote equal opportunities.

Employees will be afforded equal opportunities in employment irrespective of disability, gender, race, religion, age, sexuality, marital status, parental status, caring responsibilities and hours of work.

Schedule 1 of the Housing Act 1996

All employees have an obligation to comply with the requirements of this Act.

Data Protection Act 1998

All employees who are involved in the processing or handling of computer data are required to comply strictly with the terms of both the Data Protection Act 1998 and the procedures laid down in the Company’s policy.

April 2008