Enforcement and Licensing Officer

This is a Full Time, Fixed Term position for two years due to grant funding.

The Private Housing Environmental Health Team carry out actions to discharge the Council statutory duties under various pieces of legislation particularly the Housing Act 2004 and more recently the Renters Rights Act 2025.

The post holder will be an integral part of the team, working with other Housing Enforcement /Licensing Officers, and Environmental Health Officer colleagues to improve housing standards within private rented accommodation in the city.

The post holder is expected to work directly alongside colleagues to ensure the council is carrying out it's statutory duties in relation to poor housing conditions and noncompliance with statutory requirements. Some of these tasks will include dealing with poor housing conditions, organising works in default, carrying out inspections, investigating illegal eviction cases, and revisits, serving notices, attending and providing evidence at Residential Property tribunals, and serving civil penalties., To assist in the discharge of the councils statutory duties in relation to housing standards and Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation. By regulating, monitoring, maintaining, improving and enforcing housing conditions throughout the city through the effective delivery of a customer focussed service in respect of housing standards to homeowners, empty properties, an accreditation scheme, private and public sector tenants, some of whom may be from vulnerable groups, landlords, internal and external agencies.

To implement and develop the Council's programme for Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation and houses in the private sector. To work within a team of professional officers in the Private Housing (Environmental Health) team of Housing Services in discharging the City Council's strategy, in relation to the standard of private and public sector housing and empty properties, and to help to secure the regeneration of the City's private sector housing including development, review and operation of a landlord accreditation scheme.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and/or vulnerable adults'.

2. To undertake the day to day operational aspects of licensing private sector houses in multiple occupation and houses as required by Housing Act 2004 under the schemes currently operational (National Mandatory HMO licensing) and those being considered by Hull City Council, (Selective and Additional Licensing) including dealing with queries from landlords and tenants about standards, processing licensing applications and associated payments, determining licence conditions and the issuing of licences. To identify properties that require a licence but for which no licence application has been made by carrying out survey work, interrogation of various Council data bases, consulting landlords and other investigative procedures.

3. To oversee the councils accreditation scheme. Dealing with queries, non-compliance with scheme, taking a leading role in the development and review of the scheme and production of scheme related documentation. To promote the scheme so it is recognised by tenants as a trusted brand. Producing newsletters and other promotional material using other media.

4. To interpret the Housing Act 2004 and other existing legislation so as to determine, under supervision, appropriate courses of action when non-compliance with legislation or risks to public health, safety and welfare are identified. Actions will range from the provision of advice, guidance and written reports, and the service of legal notices to arranging remedial work, works in default, civil penalties, attending The First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber (Residential Property) and under taking prosecution.

5. To proactively identify and when brought to the councils attention take action to bring empty properties back into use. Developing and reviewing the Councils empty property procedures ensure effective use of all of the legislation available. Assisting other departments with debt recovery by sharing ownership information when appropriate.

6. To collect, prepare and collate evidence, thoroughly, professionally and in accordance with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and departmental procedures and to act as an expert witness in Court in taking prosecutions on behalf of the Council and also obtaining warrants to gain entry. This is in relation to the illegal operation of unlicensed houses in multiple occupation and privately rented accommodation, the contravention of licensing conditions, contraventions of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations 2006 and failure to comply with other statutory notices served under the Housing Acts, Building Act 1984, Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Public Health Acts.

7. To undertake high level inspections of private housing where decisions are often subjective and to interpret new and existing legislation using professional judgement; to determine compliance with licence conditions and hazards using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System in Private Housing and appropriate courses of action when non-compliance with legislation or risks to public health are identified. Actions will range from the provision of advice, guidance and written reports, and the service of legal notices to arranging remedial work or work in default to ensure the health and safety of the public and fulfil the Council's statutory obligations. This work will often be with vulnerable tenants who may present in a distressed manner. Inspections of premises will require the use of safety, measuring and recording equipment which will have to be carried onto site. Identify the appropriate action to bring empty properties back into use. Whilst undertaking this
work the post holder may come into contact with individuals whose behaviour is challenging.

8. To persuade, educate and negotiate with property owners and property agents to influence them so as to carry out improvements and repairs to their properties and develop an attitudinal change in their professional management style in relationship to dealing with their tenants so as to raise the standard of accommodation and levels of management skills within the private rented sector. To utilise all of the legislative powers available to deal with poor housing conditions, including dealing with empty properties and preventing them from becoming a blight on neighbourhoods.

9. To draw scale plans of houses and houses in multiple occupation, including the use of software packages (computer aided design) as necessary so as to assist in the determination of fire precautions and other remedial works required in such premises. To maintain and ensure correct up to date entries onto CIVICA APP date base and to ensure that entries by other members of staff are made correctly by monitoring the data base.

£36,363.00 - £39,152.00

Job Classifications:

3- Not Politically Restricted - Designated As Not Politically Sensitive (Politically Restricted Posts), Essential 3B - (Travel Allowance Policy), No - (Childcare Disqualification Requirement), No - (Statutory Post)

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:

- A competitive salary

- An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

- Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period

- Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods

- Supportive and forward-thinking culture

- Great career development opportunities