Housing Options Officer

Marks Consulting Partners are currently looking for a Housing Options Officer to work with one of our Local Authority clients in Hertfordshire.

What the Job Will Be Doing

• Managing a caseload of homelessness and housing options cases, providing tailored advice and support to residents
• Assessing homelessness applications in line with the Housing Act 1996 Part VII and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
• Completing prevention, relief and main duty assessments, ensuring all statutory duties are met
• Producing Personalised Housing Plans (PHPs) and working proactively to prevent homelessness
• Negotiating with landlords, agents and support providers to secure positive housing outcomes
• Providing advice on a wide range of housing options, including private rented accommodation, social housing and supported housing
• Making legally robust homelessness decisions and issuing Section 184 decision letters
• Working closely with internal departments and external agencies to deliver effective housing solutions
• Managing complex cases involving vulnerable households, safeguarding concerns and domestic abuse
• Maintaining accurate case records and ensuring statutory deadlines and performance targets are achieved
• Responding to customer enquiries, complaints and Member enquiries in a professional and timely manner

What You Will Need

• Experience working as a Housing Options Officer within a Local Authority
• Strong knowledge of the Housing Act 1996 Part VII and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
• Experience completing homelessness assessments, prevention and relief duties, and Personalised Housing Plans
• Ability to make legally sound homelessness decisions and produce high-quality decision letters
• Experience managing a high-volume caseload within a target-driven environment
• Excellent communication, negotiation and customer service skills
• Experience working with vulnerable households and complex homelessness cases
• Knowledge of housing management systems such as Locata, Jigsaw, NEC or similar
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise competing demands