Empty Homes Network

Empty Homes Officer (5x Posts) | Northumberland County Council

Salary: £29,269 - £32,076 (Band 6)

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week

Contract Type: 2 Year, Fixed-term

Closing Date: 8th February, 2024

The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for 5 Empty Homes Officers to join our Strategic Housing Team based at Blyth Civic Centre. The role will be working as part of a dedicated Empty Homes Team in Blyth, to bring long term and problematic empty properties back into use. Engaging with property owners, community groups and stakeholders in the area. Working closely alongside the private sector housing officers to promote good practice in the private rented sector and assisting with the wider Blyth regeneration scheme.

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic person who is a great team player with experience working with Empty Homes. The role requires excellent organisational and communication skills, being able to communicate with people on all levels including council members, colleagues and members of the public. A good level of effective IT skills and the ability to understand and develop the use of ICT to achieve work objectives. The post holder will be based in Blyth area, working with community groups and other stakeholders in the area to contribute to the overall regeneration and improvement of the area.  The post holder will be responsible for liaising with private landlords and property owners to improve stock in the private rented sector through property improvement, good management practices and bringing empty properties back into use, and to be actively involved with the planning, consultation and implementation of projects, including assistance with selective licensing schemes and empty homes schemes.

The role will be required to carry out investigations into empty privately owned properties, and negotiate with their owners to bring them back into use, to use appropriate enforcement action including enforced sales, CPO’s and EDMO’s to bring empty properties back into use. Along with actively seek funding opportunities to support bringing empty properties back into use.The post holder will be working in a newly set up small team for a 2 year fixed term contact, and will be working closely with other council services like planning, environmental health and building control. The team will work with colleagues within the Housing Service, in other divisions of the Council and external agencies, actively taking part in cross cutting projects as and when required, seeking to positively contribute to or lead on community safety and area-based initiatives.

Requirements of the role

Being proactive in the role and have excellent communication skills
Experience in Empty Homes and in carrying out investigations is required and ideally with environmental health experience in order to source suitable solutions in bringing properties back into use.
The post will be a dedicated resource to work intensively in a specific area as part of a targeted approach to bring empty homes back into use. The role will require using a range of initiatives through both voluntary and enforcement action to achieve the desired results.
You must be knowledgeable of legislation, policy, guidance, codes of practice, standards etc. relating to a range of legislative areas, keeping appraised of technical/scientific knowledge along with experience undertaking inspections, surveys and other investigations of properties under the Housing Act 2004 and other related legislation, as directed, along with attending court where necessary to attain legal orders for access to properties, and serve relevant notices
Provide specialist advice in relation to Empty Homes and provide assistance and support area-based regeneration initiatives in identified areas and linked to the wider economic regeneration of the targeted area.
A valid driving license is essential as you will be required to visit empty properties in the local area.

For further information about this vacancy, please contact Vicky ledger at

Victoria.Ledger@northumberland.gov.uk for an informal discussion.

Why Choose Us?

Northumberland is world-renowned as a visitor destination and an ideal location to strike a perfect work/life balance. There is no better way of enjoying the picturesque scenery and stunning coastline than on an everyday basis!

Northumberland County Council’s (NCC) vision is “To make Northumberland a county which you regard as a great place to live, in which you can access the activities you enjoy, whilst having the opportunity to learn and thrive”.

For further information about NCC, please visit our website.

We have some outstanding benefits to offer you, including:

Full time 37 hours per week
Fixed term contract until 31/12/25
Salary £29,269 - £32,076 (Band 6)
Car leasing scheme
26 days annual leave plus public/bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years of service (pro rata for part-time employees)
Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme
Flexi scheme – up to 2 days flexible leave available per month (pro rata for part-time employees)
Local government discount schemes available to all employees with offers at local businesses along with various national brands
Commitment to work/life balance offering flexibility through various schemes including job sharing, home working, flexible working, term-time only, and compressed hours

Further Information

Please note that this is a permanent position but applications on a secondment or part-time basis would be considered for the right applicant.

For guidance on completing your application and for information about our Equality and Diversity principles, please check the Northumberland Council website. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. If you wish to notify us of your eligibility for this scheme, please email hrrecruitment@northumberland.gov.uk or ring 01670 623930 with your name and the job title you have applied for and one of the recruitment team will ensure this is factored into the shortlisting process and kept anonymous. If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like us to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to attend an interview, please also let the team know. This information will be treated as confidential and will only be used to check that you meet the essential requirements of the post. Although we advertise on North East Jobs, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system. Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including Spam/Junk, after the closing dates for notifications.

To apply for this role, follow the link below…

https://jobsearch.northumberland.gov.uk/jobs/job/Empty-Homes-Officer/761