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2 months contract with a Local Authority

Job Summary:

•To positively contribute to the Leasehold Income Team responsible for the effective recovery of service charges and other invoiced sums including; major works; shared ownership and ground rent; reserve fund; and, any other specified debt from leaseholders, freeholders and shared owners.

•Assess strengths and weaknesses of a case as part of determining a suitable course of action, i.e. whether settlement or legal action.

• To provide high quality housing management services to the Council's customers ensuring that any service charge, major works, ground rent, reserve fund and shared ownership arrears are chased up and income is maximised within specified timeframes.

•To help ensure the provision of efficient financial administrative functions within the Home-ownership Services and carry out a range of financial administrative tasks.

•To represent London Borough of Hackney (LBH) at County Courts and Tribunals, as and when required, in the course of debt recovery proceedings.

Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):

•To collect sums owed, reduce arrears, and where necessary, to instigate legal action for recovery by instructing the Councils legal representatives.

• To carry out follow up actions with solicitors after referral and ensure that cases are concluded without undue delays.

•To follow local and organisational procedures for managing accounts to ensure that prompt action is taken to recover monies outstanding on any accounts where there is unpaid ground rent, service charges, reserve fund or capital expenditure.

•To liaise with LBH Legal Services, Solicitors, Barristers, Estate Agents, Banks, Building Societies, DWP, Partner agencies as well as the leaseholders, freeholders and shared owners to obtain the required information to resolve any shared ownership and ground rent, major works, service charges and reserve fund queries, including recovery of debts owed and queries arising from sale or resale.

•To regularly liaise with the Leasehold Income Manager to discuss complex and contentious cases and propose creative non-standard solutions to resolve issues.

•To be responsible for the preparation of any supporting information and evidence to assist with the legal action for the recovery of service charge, major works, ground rent, shared ownership rent and reserve fund arrears.

•To prepare written reports on the progress of cases and, if appropriate, recommend arrears where settlements could be reached if it appears that legal action would not be cost effective.

•To interview and advise customers clearly and sensitively, on issues relating to payment of shared ownership rent and ground rent, major works, service charges and reserve fund enquiries.

•To prepare required paperwork for write-offs, refunds, adjustments and amendments to service charge, major works accounts, shared ownership rent and reserve fund.

•To assist the Leasehold Income Manager in the reconciliation of homeowner accounts providing necessary financial information as requested.

•To assist in processing enfranchisement applications, i.e. providing account balance information etc.

•To carry out any other duty, as requested by the Head of Home-ownership Services that is commensurate with this post.

•To liaise with internal and external auditors (or any other similar group, person or body) providing required information and to help with any agreed recommendations, as directed by Home-ownership Services Managers.

•To undertake visits to homeowners in relation to income recovery and liaise with colleagues from other teams and departments, as appropriate, for any other matters that may be identified.

•Undertake all tasks related to the physical adjustment and updating of account balances on spreadsheets and systems, including following the investigation of disputes and identification of non-recoverable sums, write-offs and refunds.

Skills/Experience:

• Ability to perform accurate arithmetical calculations to advice on balances and repayment agreements and to prepare financial statements.

• High quality oral and written communication skills, with an ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people of different levels of seniority.

• Ability to implement and follow recovery procedures for the recovery of service charges, major works, ground rent, reserve fund, shared ownership rent income or similar.

• Excellent negotiation skills to maximise income recovery and prevent disputes arising.

• Ability to follow procedures and policies and work in accordance with legislation and statutory guidelines.

Additional Information:

•Full time role: 36 H/r week from 9:00 to 17:00.

• Ability to work flexible hours occasionally including some weekends and evenings.

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