Curb PSL Income Officer

Fixed term for 1 year to cover an increase in properties.

Location: This post is worked on-site at Link’s Edinburgh office

Hour of Work: 37.5 per week, Monday to Friday.

The Role

At Link, people are at the heart of everything we do. Our people have made our award-winning social enterprise the success it is today and as it continues to grow, we want them to be the best they can be and to reach their potential.

Link Housing Association deliver the city of Edinburgh Council's Private Sector Leasing Scheme (PSL). PSL deliver this service to over 1,500 landlords with approximately 1,850 properties. The leased properties are utilised by the council to provide intermediate temporary accommodation.

Link is looking for an experienced Income Officer to work within the PSL Income team who will provide an efficient and supportive tenancy service involving a full range of Housing Management duties with a focus on arrears management and assisting to resolve benefit issues to a designated portfolio of customers.  

The Curb PSL Income Officer will liaise with the City of Edinburgh Council Revenues & Benefits Team in relation to Housing Benefit change of circumstances, suspensions and cancellations; complete Housing Benefit applications and backdate requests, revision of decision requests and appeals to progress claims.  

The Income Officer will work closely with the tenancy teams to ensure relevant information is collected during home visits.  The postholder will provide estimated calculations for Housing Benefit entitlement based on the information the tenant has provided regarding their income and agree payment plans. The Income Officer will be responsible for regularly checking Housing Benefit entitlement and advise tenant of their Housing Benefit entitlements once received and update systems as appropriate. The post holder will also assist tenants to apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) and will ensure relevant letters are issued to tenants in accordance with Link’s policies and procedures.  

About You

As an Income Officer, you will have a working knowledge of Housing Benefit and a working knowledge of Housing Legislation affecting Registered and Private Landlords. This role requires knowledge of Welfare Benefit and reforms and practical experience of dealing with a wide range of housing management issues including tenancy sustainment, arrears, repairs & maintenance, transfers, allocations and Short Scottish Secure Tenancies.  

You will have experience of interpreting leases and contracts and will have proven experience of using a range of IT packages to an advanced level. This role requires an excellent standard of education and knowledge of, and commitment to, customer care, tenant sustainability and equal opportunities.

In return you will be offered the opportunity to enhance your skills and knowledge through employee training and development. You can expect to work in a supportive, trusting and transparent working environment, with the autonomy to offer creative and innovative solutions whilst maintaining Link’ s values; Responsibility, Empathy, Social Impact, Participate, Equity, Challenge and Transparency.

For further information on the main position accountabilities and a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job Specification in the Job information Pack above.

What’s in it for you?

As an Investor in People, we strive for continuous improvement through the management and growth of our staff, offering a wide range of training and development opportunities.

As a Link employee, you'll likely benefit from the following:

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually, and opportunity for annual performance related salary increases and discretionary non-consolidated pay awards subject to terms of the scheme
• 35 days’ holiday per year (inclusive of public holidays) pro rata plus an additional 1 day’s pro rata holiday per year after 1 years’ service up to a maximum of 40 days per year
• Opportunity to buy and sell holiday days
• Enhanced company sick and family friendly pay
• Access to paid qualifications and a wide range of learning and development opportunities and funded professional membership
• Defined contribution pension with matched generous employer pension contributions plus salary exchange and additional voluntary contribution options
• Access to an Electric vehicle leasing scheme, subject to the terms of the scheme
• Life assurance scheme providing death in service benefits to named beneficiaries
• Healthcare cash plan for employees (and dependents) to support health and wellbeing plus discounts on shopping, restaurants and other services
• Employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate household dependants to support health, mental and financial well-being
• Annual flu vaccination
• Access to a savings and borrowing scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Travel season/travel ticket loan and much more!

For a full list of benefits available to employees, please visit our website.

You will work with colleagues who offer support to ensure our customers' expectations are met. In return, we are looking for applications from people who will contribute to our aims and work to the highest professional standards.

This post is subject to a Basic Disclosure check.

Closing Date:  Midnight on Wednesday 8 May 2024.

Interview Date: Interviews are being held on Friday 17 May 2024 at Link’s Edinburgh Office.

How to Apply

Our online application method is the most efficient way to apply and can be started by clicking the “Apply Now” button below. You must complete an application form to be considered for any of our vacancies but you don’t need a CV to apply for our positions. Also, if you aren’t sure about how long you have to fill in the form, you will be able to save it and return to it by clicking on the ‘My Applications’ tab of the vacancy search page and entering your username and password.

We can offer suitable alternative methods to apply if requested including although not exclusively; hard copy, Braille and audio. You can request these by emailing our Resourcing Team and detailing which format you would require.

Please note that CV's will not be considered.

Please note should an internal applicant be successful in applying for this position on either a seconded or permanent basis, they will move to the terms and conditions associated with the role for the duration of the time they are in post. The terms and conditions are outlined in the advert above, and in the job description. 

We aim at all times to recruit the person who is most suited to the job and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. Our offices are fully accessible to wheelchair users and, as a Disability Confident Leader, we will interview all disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria.