Assistant Accommodation Officer (Grade 7)

Temporary Contract

Job Details

Client: Swale and Maidstone Borough Council
Service Area: Housing Management / Accommodation Team
Hours: 37 hours per week
Start Date: 02 November 2026
End Date: 18 April 2027
Duration: 24 weeks
Number of Roles: 1

Working Pattern

To be confirmed. Occasional emergency response duties outside normal working hours may be required.

Location

Trinity House, 20 Church Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1LY

Pay

PAYE Rate: £111.00 per day

Job Overview

Swale and Maidstone Borough Council is recruiting an Assistant Accommodation Officer to provide administrative support within its Housing Management Accommodation Team. The role involves updating housing records, managing accommodation correspondence, preparing sign-up paperwork, assisting with repairs enquiries, supporting rent and service charge recovery and maintaining void property information.

Important – Please Read Carefully

Candidates should have relevant housing sector knowledge and strong administrative experience. Experience using Housing Management CRM systems, Huume, Microsoft Excel and electronic filing systems would be particularly useful. The client will assess housing experience, administration skills, local knowledge and practical experience during interview.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Accommodation Team
• Complete general administration
• Maintain housing records
• Update Housing Management CRM
• Use Huume and Council systems
• Manage the Accommodation Inbox
• Maintain the team calendar
• Prepare sign-up paperwork
• Record completed sign-ups
• Support residents with repairs enquiries
• Assist with rent recovery administration
• Assist with service charge recovery
• Track and reconcile void properties
• Produce daily property updates
• Maintain Excel spreadsheets
• Prepare reports
• Manage electronic filing systems
• Support Asset and Finance Officers
• Organise team meeting agendas
• Support training arrangements
• Communicate with residents and colleagues
• Follow Council procedures
• Maintain accurate customer information
• Support safeguarding requirements

Essential Experience & Skills

• Housing administration
• General office administration
• Data entry
• Microsoft Excel
• Electronic filing
• Record keeping
• Report preparation
• Customer communication
• Organisational skills
• Document management
• Attention to detail
• Strong IT skills
• Confidentiality
• Workload management
• Teamworking
• Professional communication

Desirable

• Local authority housing experience
• Accommodation services
• Housing Management CRM
• Huume
• Rent recovery
• Service charge recovery
• Housing repairs administration
• Void property administration
• Tenancy sign-up paperwork
• Knowledge of Maidstone housing services

Additional Information

Interview Date: 30 October 2026. Telephone interview lasting up to 30 minutes. Interview assesses housing sector and administrative experience, practical knowledge and local knowledge.
Candidate Submission Deadline: 28 October 2026.
Maximum CVs per Agency: 5.

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: OR118995

Strict Screening Questions

1. Do you have previous experience working in housing administration, accommodation services, housing management or a related local authority housing environment? Please provide your job titles, employers and relevant responsibilities.
2. Do you have experience providing general administrative support, including data entry, scanning, filing, producing reports, managing correspondence and using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets?
3. Have you previously used a Housing Management CRM system, Huume or another housing or property management database? Please specify the systems used and the tasks you completed.
4. Do you have experience preparing accommodation or tenancy sign-up paperwork, maintaining resident records or supporting housing officers with accommodation administration?
5. Have you supported residents or housing officers with repairs enquiries, including recording repair issues, updating systems or liaising with relevant teams?
6. Do you have experience supporting rent recovery, service charge recovery, rent account administration or other housing-related financial processes? Please provide details.
7. Have you previously tracked, reconciled or reported on void properties, empty accommodation or property availability? Please describe your responsibilities.
8. Are you confident managing shared email inboxes, calendars, electronic filing systems and administrative deadlines while maintaining accurate and confidential housing records?
9. Do you have practical knowledge of housing services and the Maidstone area, including experience working with local residents, accommodation providers or housing teams? Please provide details.
10. Can you work 37 hours per week at or from the Maidstone location as required, and are you able to support occasional emergency arrangements outside normal working hours if needed?
11. Are you eligible to work in the UK and able to provide a CV, Confidentiality Agreement, 2 years of references/work history and Criminal Convictions Declaration?

Skills: Housing Administration, Accommodation Services, Data Entry, Microsoft Excel, Housing CRM, Rent Recovery, Repairs, Void Properties, Customer Service, Record Keeping