Housing Assistant

Job Title: Housing Assistant

Location: London

Salary: £14.15 per hours 35x Hours

Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time

About Morden College:

Morden College is a Charity dedicated to supporting older people. Founded in 1695 by the pioneering merchant, Sir John Morden, the Charity has been at the forefront of enriching older people’s lives for more than 300 years. Today the Charity’s core purpose is to provide older people who are in need with a home for life, to support them as they grow older, and to provide housing, care, and support, including residential nursing care, if the need arises. We are a strong community, committed to enabling the older people we support to have the highest quality of life, for the rest of their life.

The Charity’s Community Services are provided in the Almshouse accommodation on site at Blackheath and at Ralph Perring Court in Beckenham, through the vibrant communal space in the John Morden Centre and the case management approach that proactively identifies, assesses, and supports the most vulnerable in our community.

About the Role:

1. To support people to live the “good life” in independence by promoting dignity, independence, choice, and fulfilment within a policy of managed risk taking.
2. To support the Housing Officer in the delivery of a comprehensive housing management service across the Almshouse Accommodation at Blackheath.
3. To support with the provision of a safe and secure environment, responding to resident enquiries, and acting as the first point of contact for residents.
4. Respond effectively to resident enquiries, providing a high-quality customer service, recording information accurately and sharing with the relevant staff member/department.
5. Visit residents in their own homes and conduct interviews in the office when required.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Housing Management

1. To be welcoming and inclusive to a diverse and interesting range of beneficiaries, occasionally dealing sensitively and appropriately with complex and challenging issues, that may present.
2. To work closely with the Health and Wellbeing Team to ensure that all beneficiaries are enabled to make best use of Morden Colleges services as part of the aim to enable individuals to ‘Live a Good Life’ in independence safely for as long as is possible
3. To support the Housing Officer to ensure that all residents in Almshouse accommodation are assessed for their independence to self-evacuate in a crisis, where required develop in partnership with the beneficiary a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan; record and distribute appropriately.
4. To support the Housing Officer to have oversight of premises management, ensure that the cleaning and other facilities management arrangements with the Operations Team are completed to make sure the buildings are maintained for the future and are fully compliant with all legal requirements.
5. Ensure that all complaints, including harassment and anti-social behaviour are effectively handled and monitored and that the complainant is kept informed of progress.

Independent Living Services

1. Provide information and advice, about housing support for people living in independence aimed at attaining the highest possible levels of benefits and services to maximise their potential of living independently for longer.
2. To assist the Housing Officer with the collection of resident contributions and arrears management.
3. Signpost people living in independence to external agencies for advice and support regarding housing debt management, and other social welfare and legal issues.
4. Build on Morden College’s approach to community engagement, use of communal space, and beneficiary involvement to support the community to live a ‘Good Life’ based on what matters to the individual.
5. Ensure that anti-social behaviour issues are addressed proactively, in line with Morden College policies and procedures, that risk issues relating to anti-social behaviour and harassment are considered, and that beneficiaries and stakeholders are encouraged to address conflicts using self-help techniques.

Lettings, Voids and Arrears Control

1. To assist the Housing Officer with the admissions process for Morden College Almshouses in line with organisational policies and procedures on referrals and selection.
2. Monitor rent collection, rent arrears and other key performance indicators, and take action to ensure targets are met and relevant Morden College policies and procedures are followed.
3. Maintain a positive and productive relationship with the Operations Team in relation to effective and supportive resolution of housing and tenancy issues.

Please click on the APPLY button to send your CV and Cover Letter for this role.