Job Description
Key Responsibilities
- To reduce financial loss to the organisation by negotiating and setting up formal payment arrangement of money owed to us by former tenants as possible.
- To bring clarity to our former tenant debt, identifying what is recoverable and what is not, and producing the required information so that the organisation can effectively manage this debt in line with debt policies.
- To agree what debt, if any, to pass to debt collection agencies in line with our policies.
- To work with the Income Team, Intensive Housing Management and Homes and Community Officers to identify tenancies coming to an end where we can proactively manage former tenant debt and negotiate payment levels and overall amount in line with our policy.
- To create reports detailing debt that is unrecoverable either due to age of debt or other factors to allow the Head of Income and Lettings to submit reports to the Executive and to write off requests in line with Policy and procedure.
- To attend meetings and best practice forums as requested to improve joint working and our understanding of better ways to pursue these debts.
- Where necessary produce information for applications to small claims court.
- To work with the Homes and Community officers and the Repairs /Maintenance team to identify sundry debts relating to recharges and negotiate payment level and overall amount in line with our policy.
Licences and Qualifications
Experience
- A minimum of 2 years’ experience working within social housing in income collection, arrears and debt recovery
- Experience of effective partnership working (debt collection and tracing agencies)
- Experience of building effective relationships with internal and external partners
- Experience of managing income accounts and debt recovery
- Preparing and presenting cases for Small Claims / County Court
- 5 GCES’s or equivalent – including Maths & English
- Knowledge of the legal processes involved in former arrears and sundry debt recovery
- Computer literate understanding of spreadsheets and ability to use various software packages.
- Ability to use own initiative in dealing with a wide variety of people
- Clean driving licence and access to a motor vehicle
- A proven track record of providing excellent customer service.