Croydon Council
Former Tenant Arrears Officer
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Salary range: Career Grade 6 £36,693- £37,794 p.a. plus fantastic benefits and progressing toward Grade 8
Contract: Fixed Term 12 Months
Hours of work: 36 hours per week
Location: Croydon
Former Tenant Arrears Officer
Career Grade 6–8
Build your career in Housing income recovery – with a clear route to the full Grade 8 role.
This is a career-grade opportunity for someone with strong customer service, communication, organisation and debt or income-related skills who wants to develop their career in Housing.
You’ll normally join at Grade 6, managing former tenant arrears cases while developing your knowledge of social housing rent recovery, debt management and Council procedures. As you demonstrate the knowledge, competence and independence required for the full role, you can progress to Grade 8.
You’ll be doing meaningful work from the start – helping recover money owed to the Council while working with former tenants to understand their circumstances and identify realistic ways to resolve outstanding debt.
The role
You’ll manage a caseload of former tenant arrears, contacting former tenants, investigating outstanding balances and taking appropriate action to recover debt.
You’ll negotiate affordable repayment arrangements, maintain accurate case and payment records, trace former tenants where necessary and assess the most appropriate next steps based on individual circumstances and the likelihood of recovery.
As you develop, you’ll take greater responsibility for more complex cases and independently make decisions about recovery action, debt viability and cases that may need to be considered for write-off.
You’ll work with colleagues and external organisations to progress cases effectively and contribute to reducing former tenant arrears and improving collection performance.
What we’re looking for
At Grade 6, you don’t need to already be a specialist in former tenant arrears. We’re looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- good customer service and communication skills, including dealing sensitively and confidently with people about money or other difficult issues;
- experience of handling enquiries, cases, accounts, payments, debt or other work requiring accurate information and follow-through;
- the ability to gather and assess information, identify appropriate action and solve problems;
- good organisation and the ability to manage a varied workload and deadlines;
- confidence using digital systems and maintaining accurate records;
- the ability to negotiate and communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing; and
- willingness to develop knowledge of social housing rent recovery, former tenant arrears and relevant Council policies and procedures.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
At Grade 8, you’ll need developed knowledge and experience of social rent recovery and bad-debt management, with the ability to independently manage a varied caseload, assess debt viability, negotiate repayment arrangements and make appropriate recommendations on recovery and write-off action.
Why join us?
You’ll have the opportunity to develop specialist Housing income and debt-recovery experience while making a direct contribution to the Council’s financial position and helping residents find appropriate ways to deal with outstanding debt.
Our benefits include an inclusive working environment, learning and career development, the Local Government Pension Scheme, up to 31 days annual leave depending on eligibility plus Bank Holidays, the option to purchase additional leave, family-friendly provisions, a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and flexible/agile working where compatible with service requirements.
To view the job profile please click here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/13b7I5FxUWDj28cXf9IN1iKlmmMZ7mjqm/view?usp=drive_link]
Application closing date: Friday 2 October 2026
Assessment/Interviews: Week commencing 23 November 2026
Apply early
This vacancy may close without notice if a sufficient number of applications are received. Early application is therefore encouraged.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
Croydon Council’s priorities
The Council balances its books, listens to residents, and delivers good sustainable services
- Get a grip on the finances and make the council financially sustainable
- Become a council which listens to, respects and works in partnership with Croydon’s diverse communities and businesses
- Strengthen collaboration and joint working with partner organisations and the voluntary, community and faith sectors
- Ensure good governance is embedded and adopt best practice
- Develop our workforce to deliver in a manner that respects the diversity of our communities
Key business plan outcomes:
- Croydon is a place of opportunity for business, earning and learning
- Children and young people in Croydon have the chance to thrive, learn and fulfil their potential
- Croydon is a cleaner, safer and healthier place, a borough we’re proud to call home
- People can lead healthier and independent lives for longer
- Croydon Council’s new ways of working
Equal Opportunities Statement
Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Subject to business needs, we will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements and support hybrid working, whereby staff attend the workplace for part of their working week and work from home, or elsewhere, remotely for the rest of the time.
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.
Croydon council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. The Successful candidate will be subject to a DBS check, if the role requires one.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London