What does a housing officer do?
A housing officer visits tenants and inspects their housing. This means that they often need some means of transportation to reach tenant properties. They usually work 9-5 shifts but may also need to attend meetings with tenants outside of their regular hours. As a housing officer’s duties revolve around dealing with complex matters relating to a tenant’s needs as well as the payment of their rent, being a housing officer usually requires a sensitive and empathetic personality.
Housing officers work with government regulation, which means that they need to keep up to date with any changes made to these regulations. They know how to communicate these regulations effectively with tenants, making it easier for them to understand. Housing officers develop good relationships with their community, making themselves available for support and advice when it is required from them.
Housing officer skills and qualifications
As this type of work requires problem solving and providing advice to tenants, housing officers usually need good communication skills. They are able to listen carefully to the problems that tenants have and provide clear, accurate advice that follows government legislation. Other skills and qualifications for a great housing officer might include:
- Helping to develop local authority policies;
- A good understanding of UK law, and the ability to work within it;
- Research skills and attention to detail;
- Solving sensitive tenant issues and dealing with unpaid rent;
- Good conflict management skills;
- A combination of interpersonal skills combined with steadiness and analytical skills.
Housing officer experience requirements
Being a housing officer does not require a particular vocational qualification. Instead, employers often look for personality traits that suggest that the candidate is right for the role – it is a role that primarily suits those who like to work with people on a day-to-day basis.
However, it might also help for the candidate to have some previous experience – such as volunteering experience – as a housing officer or similar role. Some housing officers gain experience first during an apprenticeship, such as in a Housing and Property Management Apprenticeship. Using the knowledge gained through this, they can then progress to a more senior role.
Housing officer education and training requirements
While being a housing officer doesn’t strictly require formal qualifications, they should ideally have a maths and English GCSE or equivalent to take on an apprenticeship. According to the UK government website, someone looking to progress into a housing officer role might look at taking on a housing studies, social policy or building surveying-related university degree.
Other options include completing a college course in Level 2 or 3 Housing Practice. Therefore, if you’re looking to filter out multiple strong candidates for a housing officer role, you might want to look at factors like their level of education alongside their hands-on experience.
Housing officer salary expectations
According to Indeed UK salaries, the average salary of a housing officer is£26,207 per year. Salary may depend on the exact job duties and responsibilities, the employer, location and experience.
Job description samples for similar positions
Are you looking to fill a position other than a housing officer? If so, other similar positions include:
Housing officer job description FAQs
What makes a good housing officer job description?
State the candidate’s responsibilities and duties clearly. If looking for particular qualifications or similar previous experience, it is a good idea to mention this in the job description as well. Employers can also mention salary, job perks and any pension plans in order to stand out to the best candidates.
What should I look for in a housing officer CV?
When looking for the best candidates, it is worth looking to see whether they have experience in a similar role, like an internship or apprenticeship. They might be able to demonstrate some legal knowledge around rent payment and tenant issues. Previous experience where they have worked well as part of a team, on call and in a troubleshooting role is also desirable.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
