Working on behalf of a Local Authority, Aatom Recruitment has a new opportunity for a Leasehold Accounts Officer on a 6 months contract initially with a possibility of further extension.
Job Purpose: To manage a portfolio and proactively collect service and major works charges from current and former leaseholders, ensure service charge account/invoice balances are accurate and providing monthly performance reports to the Team Leader.
Key Accountabilities:
1 To maximise all revenue streams to improve collection rates and minimise the levels of debt. To monitor the arrears cases and ensure that prompt action is taken, including liaison with mortgage lenders, and instigating legal proceedings.
2 Have a high level of attention to detail to analyse and investigate payments and transactions, reconcile leaseholder accounts, and ensure invoices illustrate accurate financial information on housing management systems, and to present this to residents, solicitors, lenders and other representatives.
3 Ensure enquiries from leaseholders, solicitors, benefits agency, and other sections are answered promptly and within target times scales to ensure high level of customer care is maintained.
4 To actively promote to leaseholders the range of payment methods available. To provide expert advice and information to leaseholders in respect of interventions for managing arrears and welfare benefit entitlements.
5 To make effective use of Land Registry to ensure action is taken appropriately and accurately to recover debt. Liaise with lenders to secure payment where the leaseholder does not comply with demands for payment.
6 To prepare and submit applications to the County Court, seeking and enforcing judgement, and attending court when necessary.
7 To promote and process major works discounts and other promotions offered to leaseholders and process write-offs for invoices which cannot be recovered.
8 To have an awareness of the challenging needs of customers and residents including mental health, self-harm, domestic violence and others, and signposting or referring them to relevant advice agencies. Working with the agencies to resolve leaseholder account issues.
9 Resolving payment and refund enquiries and investigating and transferring suspense account payments onto housing management systems.
10 To keep leaseholder records up to date, to maintain file management systems, including archiving, storing and retrieving documents.
If this sounds good to you, please apply for further information or call us directly.