About the role
West Northamptonshire is a place of ambition and opportunity with a strong focus on working with our many different communities. At the heart of our vision to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive, is a clear commitment to improving health, preventing ill-health and reducing inequalities.
We are seeking to appoint a Housing Enforcement Manager to lead our successful Private Sector Housing Team, working not just on current processes but also being pivotal in redesigning our responses in line with the Renters Rights Act 2005. Whilst your focus will be on rented, unlicensed properties you will be expected to work closely with the Housing Regulation Manager who supported the licensed property activities.
The Team have been turning heads and getting results in ensuring that the Private Rented Sector is providing safe and sustainable accommodation, unsafe and unlicensed properties are brought back into compliance, and that those who seek to benefit from criminal, rogue and irresponsible behaviours are dealt with in line with the Council’s enforcement regime.
What will you be doing?
Working across the Private Sector housing functions, you lead the team of Housing Enforcement Officers who undertake inspections using the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to identify disrepair, other non-compliance with local and statutory requirements and breaches of management standards. Where necessary, you support action to ensure compliance. Great communication skills are key, as you will be working with several key partners, including the Police, Fire and Rescue, Immigration, HMRC and others, to ensure residents are safeguarded and afforded safe accommodation.
This role offers hybrid-working, 2 days working from home and 3 days out across West Northants. For this reason, a UK driving license and access to a vehicle are essential.
About you
To be successful in the role you will already hold,
- A relevant degree or be able to demonstrate significant experience in Private Sector Housing enforcement regulation;
- A management qualification, or significant experience in leading, supporting, and motivating change
- Certificate of competency in application of the HHSRS regime.
- Knowledge of the Housing Act 2004, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), and the local authorities regulatory and enforcement powers in relation to HMOs and private sector housing conditions.
- Significant experience in applying the Housing Act 2004, including preparing enforcement cases through to First Tier Tribunal or Magistrates Court.
In addition, you will have
- Confidence and passion to succeed in ensuring that our residents have safe and sustainable accommodation across the private rented sector
For further information or to discuss the role, please contact Chris Stopford, Head of Private Sector Housing (mobile 07585 120349, or email to chris.stopford@westnorthants.gov.uk).
Our benefits
You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.
About us
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.
Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner
The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.
If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.
West Northants Council, where careers thrive.
Attached documents
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