Principle Enforcement Officer

Location: South London (Hybrid Working Available)
Rate: Up to £38 per hour (DOE)
Contract: Temp to Perm
Sector: Local Authority / Housing

Daniel Owen are proud to be partnering with a Local Authority in South London who are looking to appoint an experienced Principal Enforcement Officer to join their Housing Enforcement team on a temp-to-perm basis.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced housing enforcement professional looking to take ownership of complex investigations while helping improve housing standards across the private rented sector. You'll play a key role in ensuring landlords and property owners comply with current housing legislation, protecting residents and supporting the council's wider housing and community safety objectives.

Working as part of a specialist enforcement team, you will manage a varied caseload of complex housing enforcement matters, providing expert advice and taking appropriate enforcement action where required. The role offers plenty of autonomy and will see you working closely with legal teams, partner agencies and senior stakeholders to deliver successful outcomes.

• Lead complex housing enforcement investigations across the private rented sector.
• Carry out inspections of residential properties, including HMOs and licensed accommodation.
• Identify hazards and breaches of housing legislation, determining the most appropriate enforcement action.
• Prepare and serve Improvement Notices, Civil Penalties, Prohibition Orders and other statutory notices.
• Investigate offences under the Housing Act 2004, HMO legislation and associated regulations.
• Prepare prosecution files, witness statements and legal documentation for court proceedings.
• Represent the organisation at court, tribunals, appeals and formal hearings where required.
• Work closely with Legal Services to progress prosecutions, injunctions, Rent Repayment Orders and appeals.
• Build strong working relationships with internal departments, emergency services, housing providers and external agencies.
• Support the development of enforcement policies, service improvements and best practice.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior officers where appropriate.

To be successful in this role, you'll have previous experience within a Local Authority Housing Enforcement team and be confident managing complex enforcement cases from investigation through to prosecution.

You'll also have:

• Strong knowledge of the Housing Act 2004 and associated housing legislation.
• Experience inspecting HMOs and private rented accommodation.
• A proven background serving statutory notices and undertaking enforcement action.
• Experience preparing legal case files and presenting evidence in court or tribunals.
• Knowledge of PACE and conducting investigations in line with regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to work independently whilst managing a busy and varied caseload.
• Strong report writing and case management experience.

• Up to £38 per hour depending on experience.
• Temp-to-perm opportunity with long-term career prospects.
• Hybrid working with a South London-based Local Authority.
• Opportunity to work on varied, high-profile housing enforcement cases.
• Supportive team environment with opportunities for professional development.
• Immediate start available.

If you're an experienced Principal Enforcement Officer, Senior Housing Enforcement Officer, Private Sector Housing Officer or Environmental Health professional with strong housing enforcement experience, we'd love to hear from you.