Income Neighbourhood Officer

SettleParadigm; Letchworth; Hybrid; GBP 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused housing organization in Letchworth is seeking a Neighbourhood Officer to manage and recover recharge arrears owed by tenants. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in income recovery and customer care, along with excellent negotiation skills. This position offers an annual salary of £38,331.41 and comes with flexible working options and generous leave benefits. Join a collaborative team dedicated to making a positive impact in the community.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

Enhanced family leave

Up to 10% pension contribution

Health and wellness programs

Flexible working arrangements

Colleague-led campaigns and celebrations

Qualifications

• Experience of income recovery or debt collection.
• Understanding of legal processes related to debt recovery.
• Experience of dealing with the public with high quality customer care.

Responsibilities

• Manage and recover recharge arrears owed by tenants and former tenants.
• Engage with customers to provide support and minimise debt.
• Coordinate the preparation of court documents for legal action.

Skills

Income recovery experience

Strong negotiation skills

Customer care

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Job description

We are looking for a Neighbourhood Officer in our Income Team to proactively manage and recover recharge arrears owed by tenants and former tenants. This includes charges for repairs, property damage, and other non-rent related costs.

Are you ready to be part of something special?

Welcome to Settle, where our brand-new 2030 strategy marks the start of an exciting journey. We're thrilled to continue our mission of delivering outstanding service to residents, making it an exciting time to join our team.

At Settle, we're driven by a relentlessly resident focus with a holistic and personalised touch, building trust through unique, community-centred initiatives. We have established strong community ties, enabling us to offer essential services such as mental health support and financial guidance. Our agile approach ensures we adapt swiftly to meet the evolving needs of our residents and neighbourhoods, utilising data insights to stay ahead of trends. We have developed a more focussed approach to customer services, rent collection and income maximisation.

Join us in making an impact and contributing to our ambitious goals through collaborative efforts. Together, we empower residents and provide them with a solid foundation upon which they can build their lives.

Outline of Key Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue outstanding recharge arrears using appropriate recovery methods.
• Engage patiently with customers, provide support, empathy and opportunity to minimise debt.
• Encourage customers to access specialist money and debt advice as needed.
• Offer an excellent customer service with attention to detail and accuracy aiming to resolve queries at first point of contact.
• Apply the organisation’s procedures and policies and housing law where needed.
• Work closely with internal and external partners to respond to the needs of customers, signposting where necessary.
• Coordinate and oversee the preparation of court documents to be submitted for cases referred for legal action. Ensuring timely submission of relevant paperwork.
• Ensure all information systems are kept up to date.
• Use customer data when dealing with individual cases to ensure they are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and effectively.
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and good practice.

Qualifications

• Experience of income recovery or debt collection
• Understanding of legal processes related to debt recovery.
• Experience of dealing directly with the public and delivering high quality customer care.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to manage a caseload and meet deadlines.
• Collaborative approach to problem solving and delivering services.

Able to

• Experience in a housing association or public sector environment.
• Identify and act on issues that indicate a customer may be experiencing financial or wellbeing issues that are impacting on their ability to sustain their tenancy.
• Familiarity with tenancy agreements and recharge policies.
• Communicate clearly in writing and verbally with a wide range of customers and colleagues.
• Uphold and live settle’s values with a robust commitment to diversity.

Benefits

• annual salary: £38,331.41 per annum
• flexible working: hybrid and flexible options available (role-dependent)
• generous leave: 27 days of annual leave, increasing to 32 days with length of service
• family leave: enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• pension contributions: up to 10% from Settle
• healthcare cash plan: for your health and wellness
• flexible benefits: cash towards your health and wellbeing
• development: excellent personal and professional growth opportunities
• fresh fruit Mondays: keep your energy up with healthy snacks
• colleague-led campaigns and celebrations: wellbeing weeks and charity bake sales
• volunteering days: 2 paid days to give back to the communities we work in
• secure parking: free onsite parking and bike sheds too!
• local discounts: enjoy perks from our community partners
• mental health support: access to counselling sessions and mental health resources
• feedback commitment: we listen to our colleagues and take action
• shower facilities: perfect for those who cycle to work or hit the gym
• early finish Friday: a kickstart to the weekend!

At Settle, we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. Join us and enjoy the benefits of working in a collaborative, kind, and inclusive environment.

Our Future

We are pleased to announce that Settle and Paradigm Housing Group have agreed to merge to form a new organisation operating primarily across Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The target completion date for the legal merger is 27 October 2025. For more information, click here.

Our Commitment

Our culture at Settle is inclusive and celebrates the differences in everyone. We are committed to creating an inclusive workforce, by reflecting and representing the diversity of today’s society. We would like to encourage applicants from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds; people who identify as disabled, neurodiverse, members of the LGBTQ+ community and people from global majority communities.

Accessibility and Adjustments

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in advance of any suitable arrangements required so you can fully participate in the recruitment process.

Due to the nature of some of our roles involving work with vulnerable members of society, this post may be subject to a Basic or enhanced Criminal Disclosure, which will be carried out when a conditional offer is made.

Please ensure you fully answer the questions on the application form.

Closing Date

2nd January 2026

Please note that, due to the upcoming holiday season, our recruitment process may take a little longer than usual. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and we will keep you updated on your application status throughout the process.