Private Sector Housing Officer - #187237

How You'll Make a Difference

As a Private Sector Housing Officer, your primary focus will be on improving standards within the private rented sector. You will use your construction knowledge and housing enforcement expertise to effectively manage the enforcement process, working closely with tenants, private landlords, accommodation providers and external agencies such as the fire service, police and internal council teams.

The Private Sector Housing team operates across a diverse housing market, delivering adaptations and driving improvements in housing standards. Our work supports people to live in safe, warm and good-quality homes, helping to make a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.

What You Will Be Doing

• Managing a varied caseload, you will provide support to tenants and clear, practical advice to property owners on required works and available services to improve and maintain their homes. You will ensure all actions and outcomes are accurately recorded on a database.
• Investigating tenant complaints about property conditions, you will conduct inspections in line with the Housing Act 2004 and the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Where necessary, you will take enforcement action, including serving notices, issuing civil penalty notices and progressing prosecutions.
• A key part of your role will be identifying unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupations (HMOs) within the mandatory licensing regime by using existing data, site visits and coordinating small-scale surveys where necessary.
• You will regularly inspect properties and take appropriate enforcement action to address non-compliance in unlicensed HMOs, ensuring legal standards are met.
• Contributing to the ongoing development and improvement of systems and procedures, you will support the delivery of higher standards across the private rented sector across South Gloucestershire.
  
  

What We Need From You

• We require you to hold a degree in environmental health or a relevant equivalent qualification, or can demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge within the private sector housing field.
• You will be qualified in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), with the experience and competence to assess residential properties, including HMOs, in line with HHSRS requirements.
• It is essential that you have experience of drafting and serving Statutory Housing Act Notices, as well as preparing witness statements and case files to support legal proceedings, including attendance at court and tribunals.
• With a proven track record of enforcement action, you will have an in-depth knowledge of the Housing Act 2004, the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and other relevant private sector housing legislation relating to both single and multi-occupied properties.
• Bringing substantial experience of private sector housing processes and procedures, you will have a strong understanding of the service delivery environment, alongside the investigative and interpersonal skills required to carry out effective enforcement action. You will be motivated by a clear commitment to improving standards in the private rented sector.
• You will be able to manage and prioritise your own workload, responding to competing demands while ensuring high levels of customer service and compliance with legislative requirements.
  
  

What You Need To Know

• This is a two year limited term contract.
• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle or have an alternative means of travel.
• This role is hybrid, with a mixture of working at our office in Badminton Road office, Yate and from home.
• You may be required to work outside normal working hours as the need arises.
  
  

Interviews will be held on 23rd June 2026.

How a Career At South Gloucestershire Council Is Different

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities. 
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.
• We invest in the careers of our people, and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work.
  
  

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We're planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green spaces, and houses.
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained.
  
  

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.

We’re making a difference, be part of it!

To view the full job description, please click this link: Service Officer role profile