Main Purpose of the Job/Key Objectives:

Court & Visiting Officers are responsible for providing high quality recovery and court service to the Havering residents. They will maximise income from rents and other income streams by ensuring prompt legal action is taken when an account falls into arrears.

They will undertake routine monitoring of accounts with court action to ensure the clearance of arrears and ensure that a sensitive, professional and excellent service is provided for customers.

They will prepare and deliver, where required, legal documents for possession hearings and will represent the Group at Court hearings and attend evictions.

The post holder has significant individual responsibility for setting priorities and managing their own workload. In particular the post holder will be responsible for early identification and intervention within an income management framework; ensuring debt levels are reduced and minimising the number of tenancies that end due to non-payment of rent.

The Council have an effective performance management framework in place to report, monitor and review performance. Our arrears prevention and recovery targets are challenging, subject to regular review and contribute to ongoing improvement.

Key objectives

  • Provide an excellent customer focused and value for money income service to our residents.
  • Maintain specialist knowledge of court protocol and conventions
  • Represent Havering Council at court in possession and money claims
  • Take prompt and appropriate action in line with relevant policy, procedure and legislation where a resident falls to comply with the terms of a court ordered arrangement.
  • Deal with account queries from residents regarding payment and account balance and giving advice on how they can maximise their income and minimise outgoings, whilst clearing outstanding arrears.
  • Negotiate and regularly review court ordered repayment arrangements.
  • Provide outreach and home visits to residents and attend evictions where necessary.
  • Utilise the full range of communication techniques in dealing with residents.
  • Keep full, detailed and accurate records of all contact with residents and ensure the computer system is updated with details of rent arears actions.
  • Work proactively to identify residents at risk of falling into arrears and provide tailored advice, guidance and support to prevent this from happening.
  • Identify tenant vulnerabilities and risks and signpost as appropriate.
  • Use existing knowledge about our tenants and respond to new information and circumstances to ensure that vulnerable tenants and other high-risk groups are appropriately supported.
  • Work closely with the Financial Inclusion Officers to ensure that every resident has sufficient access to financial services and their basic needs are met.
  • Draft legal documentation in preparation for Court cases, and compile eviction reports for the Eviction Panel where possession has been awarded by the court.
  • Make applications on behalf of the Council using HMCTS systems such as PCOL and MCOL.
  • Demonstrate empathy, build rapport and an understanding with customers and recognise and appeal to tenant behavioural drivers.
  • Arrange for the production and distribution of regular rent statements to tenants and advise tenants on these accordingly.
  • Provide regular reports on rent arrears cases to the Senior Income Officer.
  • Work in partnership across the housing directorate, being flexible over tasks and responsibilities to ensure the best customer service to tenants.
  • Conduct peer training and support the Council’s aim to promote a rent first culture throughout the housing directorate.
  • Assist the management team in compiling responses to complaints and Member’s enquiries.
  • Maintain the housing management system with up to date and accurate information.
  • Any other reasonable tasks as instructed by your line manager, to support the Council’s objectives.
  • Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.