Housing Officer

Typical Salary

£21,000 To £60,000

Typical Hours

37 to 39 a week

evenings attending events or appointments

How To Become a Housing Officer

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly

College / University

You could complete a foundation degree or degree in:

housing studies
social policy
building surveying

at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You'll usually need:

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can take a housing property assistant intermediate apprenticeship and then a housing and property management advanced apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You may be able to start as a housing or admin assistant and work your way up. You could do this through on-the-job training leading to a qualification like the Level 2 or 3 Certificate in Housing Practice, offered by the Chartered Institute of Housing.

You may be able to apply to a local authority or housing association for a place on a graduate training scheme, if you have a degree.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

customer service skills
business management skills
administration skills
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
knowledge of economics and accounting
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
the ability to work well with others
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

You will:

assess the needs of people applying for housing
give people vacant accommodation
carry out regular inspections
deal with anti-social behaviour and broken tenancy agreements
refer people to advice on benefits and welfare
set rents and deal with payments and arrears
gather statistical information and prepare reports
attend meetings
arrange for things like broken lifts and boilers to be repaired
work with other agencies like social services

Working Environment

You could work at a client's home or in an office.

Career Path & Progression

Volunteering Opportunities

You may find it helpful to get some experience with a housing charity or local tenants' association.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can get more advice about careers and training in housing from the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass background checks