Housing Investigations Manager

• £34.48 per hour
• 36 hours per week
• Hybrid 3 days in the office

Job Purpose:

1. To lead a team of Housing Fraud Investigation Officers who will work across Housing Management and Housing Needs Directorates.
2. To ensure that the team recover Council housing stock in both general needs and work with Housing Needs to recover temporary accommodation.
3. To provide reports on the financial benefit of recoveries and successful outcomes and raise awareness amongst staff, Members and residents in terms of Housing Fraud.

Main duties:

1. To manage the Housing Fraud Investigations Team working across general needs, housing needs and temporary accommodation
2. To commission and co-ordinate data gathering exercises to identify housing fraud.
3. To review and/or implement robust procedures in line with tackling housing fraud.
4. Benchmarking against other social housing landlords / local authorities in order to achieve top quartile performance.
5. To provide specialist training to housing staff across both directorates and use own and team's technical and specialist knowledge to lead on awareness campaigns.
6. To ensure that appropriate and timely action is taken to recover possession of council housing and obtain prosecution where fraud has been proven.
7. To lead on housing fraud deterrence campaigns such as 'key amnesties' and maximising the use of social media.
8. To provide statistical data analysis and produce management information to demonstrate productivity and financial benefit of successful outcomes.
9. To ensure appropriate and timely instructions are given to Legal Services and monitor cases so that progress is timely and proactively monitored.
10.To ensure that investigations are undertaken using appropriate methods and in keeping with RBKC values.
11.Ensuring that accurate and timely records are kept concerning all investigations undertaken and where appropriate, in compliance with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1985 (PACE), Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), Housing Act 1985, Theft Acts 1977 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
12.To ensure that mechanisms are in place for implementing and monitoring unauthorised occupation of properties.
13.Where unauthorised occupants are identified, to provide advice to or signpost to relevant services.
14.To organise and deliver training sessions for staff, residents and members.
15.To ensure regular liaison is maintained with key stakeholders.
16.To be well informed of and share good practice and changes in legislation and / or governance.
17.To make best use of new technology and develop systems to support investigation work.
18.To undertake duties outside normal office hours if required and to travel where necessary as and when required in connection with housing investigation work.
19. To support the team by directly manage a small caseload of the more complex cases and risk assess each case during the investigation process.
20.To be responsible for managing effective staff development within the team including supervision and training.
21.Prepare an annual report on the outcome of the team's recovery actions against targets set, together with case studies.
22.To deal with written and verbal enquiries from the public, other Council staff, outside organisations, Councillors, MPs etcetera whilst having due regard to the confidential nature of the work.

If you feel like this role is for you, please send your CV to