Moving into supported housing includes being responsible for paying your rent and bills. We caught up with Caroline who explains what her job involves.
What do you like the best?
I enjoy helping people. Every day is different in my role. It’s all about helping our tenants with their financial responsibilities and working with other people who are supporting or acting on behalf of them.
Helping people to understand
Dealing with benefit claims and the process can be confusing. I provide help, advice and guidance in so many ways. It starts when a person becomes a tenant and then it continues throughout their tenancy.
Who are you in contact with about a tenant’s rent or bill?
Sometimes several people can be involved in just one claim, bill or query. I liaise with tenants and their family members, care providers, appointees, advocates, social workers, and Housing Benefit teams, other professionals and service providers. Often, it’s talking on the phone, other times emailing or face to face.
How do you support tenants to claim their housing benefit entitlement?
Most of our tenants are entitled to claim Housing Benefit. We act on behalf of a tenant to apply for Housing Benefit and work with the Housing Managers, the tenant and their support team to provide the documentation required to submit the claim. If there are any queries, I will deal with them and liaise with everyone involved.
I am part of the team supporting tenants to appeal against a Housing Benefit decision not to pay their entitlement.
If a person moves out of an Encircle Housing property, our team contacts the Housing Benefit team, so they stop paying rent for them at that property.
How do you support tenants to keep the costs of utilities down?
We have tried our best to keep tenants on the lowest possible tariff by changing energy supplier. We only charge tenants what they need to pay, Encircle Housing do not make any profit from utilities.
What payment methods do tenants use to their rent and bills?
There are 3 ways our tenants can pay their rent and bills; by Direct Debt, Standing Order or cash paying in slips, I often help them to set up their preferred method of payment.
Do you give advice on budgeting and repayment plan?
Tenants sometimes need advice on budgeting or a repayment plan. I spend time going through this with them, we talk about what are the priority bills that need to be paid first to maintain their tenancy.
How does everything get recorded and monitored?
Much of my time is spent in this area. We receive payment of rent and bills which are then recorded in the relevant tenant account on our computer system. We use a tracker to monitor the claims we are dealing with.
We’re here to help!
Caroline and her team offer help and guidance dealing with rent and bills. If you have any queries call 0330 390 0517 or email contactus@encircleha.co.uk.
