Income Recovery Arrears Advisor (Grade G)

Income Recovery Arrears Advisor (Grade G)

Temporary Contract

Job Details

Client: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Service Area: Housing and Regeneration / Central Rent Management
Hours: 35 hours per week
Start Date: 26 October 2026
End Date: 10 January 2027
Duration: 12 weeks
Number of Roles: 1

Working Pattern

Hybrid: 2 days per week in the office and 3 days working from home.

Location

160 Whitechapel Road, Tower Hamlets, London, E1 1BJ

Pay

PAYE Rate: £21.81 Per Hour

Job Overview

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is seeking an experienced Income Recovery Arrears Advisor to manage rent accounts, recover outstanding rental income and support residents experiencing financial hardship. The role involves negotiating repayment arrangements, monitoring rent arrears, providing welfare benefits guidance and taking appropriate recovery action where required.

Important – Please Read Carefully

This is a specialist housing rent arrears and income recovery position. Candidates should have experience managing rent accounts, negotiating repayment arrangements, understanding Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, and using housing management systems. Experience within a local authority, housing association or social housing organisation would be particularly relevant.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of rent accounts
• Monitor rent arrears
• Take early recovery action
• Contact residents regarding arrears
• Negotiate repayment arrangements
• Monitor repayment compliance
• Identify financial hardship
• Refer residents to support services
• Provide Universal Credit guidance
• Provide Housing Benefit guidance
• Explain available financial support
• Follow rent recovery procedures
• Escalate unresolved arrears cases
• Prepare cases for legal action
• Attend court where required
• Liaise with Housing Management
• Work with Financial Inclusion teams
• Liaise with Benefits teams
• Maintain accurate case records
• Update housing management systems
• Work towards income collection targets
• Support residents to sustain their tenancies

Essential Experience & Skills

• Rent arrears management
• Housing income recovery
• Rent account management
• Repayment negotiation
• Universal Credit knowledge
• Housing Benefit knowledge
• Welfare benefits understanding
• Customer communication
• Negotiation skills
• Housing management systems
• Microsoft Office
• Case management
• Accurate record keeping
• Organisational skills
• Target-driven working
• Problem-solving
• Professional customer service

Desirable

• Local authority housing
• Housing association experience
• Social housing income recovery
• Financial inclusion
• Tenancy sustainment
• Rent arrears enforcement
• Legal recovery proceedings
• Court attendance
• Support for vulnerable residents

Additional Information

Target Interview Date: 21 October 2026. Microsoft Teams competency test and online interview.
Candidate Submission Deadline: 19 October 2026.
Maximum CVs per Agency: 4.

Disclaimer

On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role.

I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify Fix Space Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.

Job Reference: OR114629

Strict Screening Questions

1. Do you have professional experience working in housing income recovery, rent arrears management or another role directly involving social housing rent accounts? Please provide your job titles, employers and dates of employment.
2. Have you previously managed a portfolio of rent accounts within a UK local authority, housing association or social housing organisation? Please confirm the type of organisation and approximate number of accounts managed.
3. Do you have experience contacting tenants about rent arrears, negotiating affordable repayment plans and monitoring whether residents maintain their repayment arrangements? Please describe your responsibilities.
4. Do you have working knowledge of Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and other welfare benefits relevant to residents experiencing rent arrears? Please explain how you have applied this knowledge professionally.
5. Have you previously identified residents experiencing financial hardship and referred them to financial inclusion, welfare benefits or tenancy support services? Please provide examples.
6. Do you have experience following formal rent arrears recovery procedures, including issuing correspondence, escalating cases and taking appropriate enforcement action?
7. Have you prepared rent arrears cases for legal proceedings, worked with housing solicitors or attended court hearings in relation to possession or income recovery? Please provide details.
8. Which housing management systems have you used to monitor rent accounts, record recovery actions, manage arrears cases or track repayment agreements?
9. Have you worked towards rent collection targets, arrears reduction targets or other housing income performance indicators? Please explain your responsibilities and achievements.
10. Can you work 35 hours per week on a hybrid basis, attending the Tower Hamlets office at 160 Whitechapel Road two days per week and working from home three days per week?
11. Are you available to start on 26 October 2026 and work until 10 January 2027? Please confirm your earliest available start date and any notice period.
12. Are you eligible to work in the UK and able to provide a Standard DBS, Declaration of Interest, Confidentiality Agreement, Criminal Convictions Declaration and 2 years references/work history?

Skills: Rent Arrears, Income Recovery, Housing Management, Rent Accounts, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Repayment Plans, Debt Recovery, Tenancy Sustainment, Case Management