Housing Reviews Officer

Slough Borough Council - Housing Reviews Officer

Are you a Housing Reviews Officer looking for your next role? We are working with Slough Borough Council in order to recruit a Housing Reviews Officer to join their team on a contract basis! Please see below details.

Essential Requirement: Due to the specialist nature of this role, only candidates with:

- at least 2 years' experience undertaking S202 homelessness reviews should be submitted

- Candidates must have a proven track record of producing legally sound review decisions

- Possess a strong working knowledge of S204 appeals and associated case law

We will only consider candidates with demonstrable experience of statutory housing reviews, complex homelessness decision-making, housing allocations reviews or directly comparable local authority housing casework.

Responsible to:

Housing Review Lead

Key relationships/Functional links with:

Housing Demand, Homelessness, Allocations, Temporary Accommodation, Legal Services, Tenancy Services, Social Care, senior managers, Members, MPs, applicants, advocates, solicitors, law centres, Counsel, Ombudsman services and external partner agencies.

Main Purpose of Job:

To act as the Council's independent statutory review decision-maker for homelessness, temporary accommodation suitability, housing allocations and discharge of duty decisions under Parts VI and VII of the Housing Act 1996, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, associated regulations, statutory guidance, case law and Council policy.

The postholder will make fair, lawful, evidence-based and clearly reasoned review decisions, including decisions to uphold, vary, quash or overturn original decisions.

Main Responsibilities / Accountabilities

The postholder will be expected to:

Determine statutory homelessness reviews, including suitability challenges, temporary accommodation decisions and discharge of duty decisions.

Review housing register, allocations and reasonable preference decisions where required by Council policy and statutory review procedures.

Analyse complex case files, original decision letters, case notes, legal submissions, medical evidence, safeguarding information and professional reports.

Prepare clear and legally robust review decision letters, including minded-to letters where required.

Ensure review decisions are independent, legally compliant, issued within statutory timescales and capable of withstanding external challenge.

Identify legal, financial, operational and reputational risks and escalate cases appropriately with clear recommendations.

Liaise with Legal Services, solicitors, advocates and Counsel in relation to appeals, legal challenges and defended review decisions.

Provide senior technical advice, quality assurance feedback, training and guidance to housing officers and managers.

Support responses to complaints, Ombudsman enquiries, Member enquiries and MP enquiries where specialist review input is required.

Use learning from reviews, appeals, complaints and Ombudsman outcomes to improve first-instance decision-making and service practice.

Job Activities:

Carry a complex caseload of statutory housing review cases with limited supervision.

Plan and undertake review investigations, request further enquiries and evaluate evidence.

Apply homelessness law, allocations law, statutory guidance, case law, public law principles, equality duties and safeguarding considerations.

Draft legally sound review decisions in plain English for applicants and representatives.

Prepare case summaries, chronologies, evidence bundles and instructions for legal advice where required.

Advise managers on accommodation pending review or appeal, taking account of legal risk, vulnerability, safeguarding and resource implications.

Maintain accurate case records, audit trails and performance information on relevant case management systems.

Contribute to policy, procedure, template letter and practice improvements.

Deliver briefings, coaching and guidance to officers and managers on review outcomes, legal requirements and common decision-making errors.

Mandatory experience and nice to have skills for the job:

Mandatory experience and skills

Candidates must have substantial experience of complex homelessness and/or housing allocations casework.

Candidates must have direct experience of statutory reviews, legal decision-making or quasi-legal housing decisions.

Candidates must have strong working knowledge of Parts VI and VII of the Housing Act 1996, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, section 202 reviews, section 204 appeals, suitability requirements and the Homelessness Code of Guidance.

Candidates must be able to draft detailed, evidence-based decision letters or legal/quasi-legal correspondence capable of withstanding challenge.

Candidates must be able to analyse complex and sensitive evidence, including medical, welfare, safeguarding and professional reports.

Candidates must have excellent written reasoning, strong communication skills and the ability to manage statutory deadlines and competing priorities.

Candidates must have experience working with vulnerable applicants and handling sensitive or contentious casework.

Public Sector and Government

Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to permanent vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer. Job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with the individual's skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.